Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health: Emergency Services

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and (b) the event organisers to help enable the Gratitude Games to go ahead this year.

Will Quince: No specific discussions have been held with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport or the event organisers. Officials from the Department of Health and Social Care held discussions with UK Emergency Services Games Ltd (UKESG) throughout 2021. At the time, UKESG were referred to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport own Live Events Reinsurance Scheme launched in September 2021.The NHS workforce continues to demonstrate unwavering compassion and dedication and it is something we should all be immensely proud of. This was recognised in 2021 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded the George Cross to the NHS across all four nations.

Abortion: Drugs

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the safeguards used in the abortion pills by post scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: Following amendments to the 1967 Abortion Act that allow women in England and Wales to take early medical abortion (EMA) pills at home, the Department have taken forward work to ensure that robust safeguarding processes for home-use EMA are embedded across all services. This included publication of national safeguarding guidance for under 18 year olds accessing EMA services, and strengthening the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures, which all independent abortion providers must comply with, to require providers to have robust safeguarding processes in place to identify and support women and girls who need it.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to cancer screening for people from the LGBT+ community.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that cancer screening is fully accessible to those with socioeconomic disadvantage.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Prisoners: Drugs

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prisoners were transferred from prison to hospital due to a drug overdose in each of the last three years for which data is available.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the causes of variations in the level of access to to cancer screening by people of BAME heritage.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Research

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps toehelp ensure that funding for cancer research is focused on less survivable cancers.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Animal products: EU law

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of repealing 4.1 and 4.2 of Annex III of EU Regulation 1069/2011.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Tobacco

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry, published on 19 June, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) monitor the application and (b) tackle breaches of that guidance.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Research

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase funding for research into cancers with the poorest prognosis.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: ICT

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) update and (b) improve NHS IT systems.

Will Quince: We have set out our plans in ‘A Plan for Digital Health and Care’ June 2022 to update and improve technology efficiency and efficacy in the NHS. Further detail is also set out in the Data Saves Lives strategy, and in the annual business plans for both the Department and NHS England.We are investing approximately £2 billion centrally each year between 2022/23 and 2024/25 to digitise the frontline of the NHS and improve services for patients and staff. Local NHS trusts and other providers top up those central investments locally. Allocations are made across a range of priority areas, including improving patient's abilities to access their own records, appointments, and information, such as through the NHS App, and in the core digital infrastructure of providers of all types through our GP IT and Frontline Digitisation programmes. The latter has provided circa £440 million to over 150 trusts in 2022/23 to support them to digitise, ensuring 90% of trusts have electronic health records by December 2023, rising to 95% by March 2025. We are also investing to ensure 80% of Care Quality Commission registered adult social care providers have a digital social care record by March 2024.NHS IT capability in England is being measured and tracked through an annual digital maturity assessment designed to support trusts to understand their digital and data maturity and develop plans to meet our digitisation standards.

Urgent Treatment Centres

Sir David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote the use of urgent care centres.

Will Quince: A key aim of the Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services is making it easier for patients to access the right care. Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) are an important part of urgent and emergency care, providing patients with an alternative to accident and emergency, helping them get the right level of care and taking pressures off our Emergency Departments.The NHS Directory of Services (DoS) enables referrals into the most appropriate urgent care service from 111 and 999, supporting better management of patients. Under the plan, a rebuild of the DoS platform will make it easier for staff in the NHS to direct people to the appropriate services.NHS England will work with stakeholders to agree consistent approaches for patients who walk into hospitals, which will support patients to be seen in the most appropriate setting.The plan sets out that integrated care boards (ICBs) should determine where UTCs will be most effective in their system. They may be co-located with the local emergency department or a standalone service either on or off a hospital site. Under the plan, ICB decisions about all existing services should be concluded through 2023/24.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority: Public Appointments

Eddie Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that members appointed to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority reflect a diversity of ethical viewpoints on research on human embryos.

Maria Caulfield: Non-executive members are appointed to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in accordance with legislative requirements, and the skills, experiences and personal qualities that have been judged to meet the needs of the HFEA in discharging its responsibilities. The appointment process reflects the requirements of the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments.

Maternity Services: Bereavement Counselling

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a list of maternity hospitals in England which (a) have, (b) do not have and (c) are planning to create Bereavement Suites.

Maria Caulfield: This information is not held by NHS England. We previously funded SANDs, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity to work with other baby loss charities and Royal Colleges to produce and support the roll-out of a National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) to reduce the variation in the quality of bereavement care provided by the National Health Service.The pathway covers a range of circumstances of a baby loss including miscarriage, stillbirth, termination of pregnancy for medical reasons, neonatal death, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As of 1 January 2023, 84% or 108 NHS England trusts have committed to adopting the nine NBCP standards. One of the nine standards is that bereavement rooms are available in every healthcare setting where a pregnancy or baby loss may occur.

Radiotherapy: Community Diagnostic Centres

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing radiotherapy treatments within community diagnostic centres; and if he will take steps to implement this proposal.

Helen Whately: There are no current plans to include radiotherapy treatment services within Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs). This is because radiotherapy is a cancer treatment, not a diagnostic test. CDCs must offer core services across, imaging, physiological measurement, and pathology. Large CDCs will also offer Endoscopy services as part of their core services.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide information to people vulnerable to Covid-19 on the transition of responsibility for delivering post-exposure treatments for Covid-19 from Covid-19 Medicine Delivery Units to Integrated Care Boards.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of charities supporting people who are vulnerable to Covid-19 on the transition of responsibility for the delivery of post-exposure treatments for Covid-19 from Covd-19 Medicine Delivery Units to Integrated Care Boards.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Integrated Care Boards have produced plans for transitioning responsibility for the delivery of post-exposure treatments for Covid-19 from Covid-19 Medicine Delivery Units.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England is working closely with local health systems and supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to develop service delivery plans which ensure continued timely access to assessment and treatment for COVID-19 that meet the needs of their local populations. To support the transition away from pandemic-specific arrangements NHS England is regularly engaging with charities, patient groups and other stakeholders to understand where national and local action may be required to ensure transition readiness. The NHS will continue to communicate to people most vulnerable to COVID-19 about available clinical interventions, including vaccination and treatments, as well as testing and public health advice.ICBs are responsible for the continued delivery of COVID-19 treatments, including where appropriate transitioning the delivery of community-based COVID-19 treatments away from COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units to routine care pathways by the end of this month. ICBs have the flexibility to create a routine patient access pathway that best meets local needs and circumstances, including for immunocompromised patients.ICBs are responsible for their own plans and commissioning schedules. This information is not held centrally by the department.

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Medical Equipment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued for (a) clinicians and (b) patients with (i) asthma and (ii) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on such patients changing to a lower-carbon inhaler; and what data his Department holds on the priority given to (A) clinical, (B) environmental and (C) cost considerations when such patients are advised to change to a lower-carbon inhaler.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on (a) F-gases in inhalers and (b) the switching of patients with (i) asthma and (ii) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to a lower-carbon inhaler.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure the safety of patients with (a) asthma and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease switching to a lower-carbon inhaler.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has held discussions with clinicians on the practice of patients with (a) asthma and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease switching to a lower-carbon inhaler.

Helen Whately: There have been no specific discussions. The National Health Service remains committed to reducing the carbon impact of inhalers. As part of all inhaler prescriptions, structured medication reviews and asthma reviews, consideration should be given to moving patients to lower carbon options, where it is clinically appropriate to do so.NHS England has worked with key partners, industry representatives, patient groups, and clinicians to develop a package of guidance and resources to support improved respiratory disease management and shared decision-making on inhaler choice. This includes both patient and clinician focused resources which includes but is not limited to, Asthma+Lung UK resources co-developed with NHS England on inhaler choice to support patients, NHS England case studies and videos to support systems and providers, and resources from the Royal College of General Practitioners and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to support clinicians.

Travel: Vaccination

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of NHS travel vaccinations in Barnsley Central constituency.

Maria Caulfield: The National Health Service provides polio, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera travel vaccines free of charge, and these are available from general practitioner (GP) surgeries. GPs can also offer appropriate routine immunisation catch-ups ahead of travelling if any have been missed.There are record numbers of GPs in training and we are investing at least £1.5 billion to create 50 million more general practice appointments a year by 2024. The Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care, published on 9 May, supports practices to address access challenges. Our Modern General Practice Access approach, backed by £240 million of retargeted funding, will simplify online requests, improve digital telephony, strengthen care navigation and continuity, and improve assessment and response times.

Motor Neurone Disease: Health Services

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support (a) his Department and (b) the NHS provides to people diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and their families.

Helen Whately: No assessment has been made. Individuals with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) will receive access to a range of NHS services. NHS England commissions the specialised care and treatment that patients with MND may receive from the 24 specialised neurology centres across England. NHS England has published a service specification setting out national standards for organisations that provide specialised neurological care. This sets out that the service should improve quality of life and experience of services for patients and their carers.NHS England has also established a Neurosciences Service Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically-led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services, including MND.

Podiatry: Rheumatology

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to podiatry services for rheumatology patients.

Helen Whately: The composition of rheumatology teams is for local determination. NHS England is working with The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme. The GIRFT report on rheumatology recommends that patients have the right to a podiatrist and can access podiatry services, alongside other healthcare professionals, through a single named contact. This implementation of the recommendation is ongoing.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking to reduce the time from receipt of urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to First Definite Treatment.

Neil O'Brien: £2.3 billion was awarded at Spending Review 2021 to transform diagnostic services over the next three years, including urgent cancer referrals. As part of this investment, up to 160 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) will deliver additional, digitally connected, diagnostic capacity in England, providing patients with a co-ordinated set of diagnostic checks, including for cancer, such as Computerised Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.In November 2022, NHS England announced that general practitioners (GPs) would have direct access to a range of key diagnostic tests. This is being rolled out across all GP practices in England for patients with concerning symptoms, but who fall outside the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline threshold for an urgent suspected cancer referral. GPs will be able to refer patients directly to CDCs. This will tackle both elective care waiting lists and deliver the NHS Long Term Plan ambitions on early cancer diagnosis.We are working to reduce waiting times for cancer treatment, but we know there is more to do. NHS England continues to actively support those trusts requiring the greatest help to cut cancer waiting lists, and the Department is working with NHS England to make further improvements.

Blood: Donors

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to encourage more people from ethnic minority backgrounds to become blood donors.

Neil O'Brien: The Department works with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) as it continues its work towards recruiting and retaining more blood donors from ethnic minority backgrounds. Diversifying the donor base is a key priority for NHSBT to address health disparities and ensure patients from all backgrounds can receive the best matched blood.Work to increase the supply of Ro Kell negative blood type includes increased investment into targeted marketing and engagement. NHSBT launched its ‘Not Family but Blood’ campaign in October 2022, aimed at recruiting more black heritage blood donors and this year launched the #GivingType campaign for National Blood Week.In addition, the Community Grants Programme funds community and faith/belief organisations to drive awareness, understanding and behaviour change around donation. More than £1.7 million has invested in grassroots organisations promoting blood, organ, and tissue donation since 2018.Most recently National Blood Week (NBW) has driven over 700 registrations to donate whole blood from people of Black heritage. Sickle Cell Awareness Day followed directly after NBW with a further 77 registrations from people of Black heritage, nearly double NHSBT’s daily average of registrations from this group’.

NHS: Pay

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2023 to Question 189024 on NHS: Pay, for what reason no assessment was made of the full cost of passing on the non-consolidated awards for 2022/23 to all staff employed by NHS contractors.

Will Quince: The pay deal that was accepted by the NHS Staff Council on 2 May 2023 covered staff directly employed by NHS organisations. Independent providers, including not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment. If they choose to utilise the terms and conditions of NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract, it is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate and how to recoup any additional costs they face.

Dental Services

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure an adequate number of dental appointments is available for NHS patients.

Neil O'Brien: In July 2022, we announced a package of improvements to the National Health Service dental system, detailed in ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlined the steps we are taking to meet oral health need and increase access to dental care. The changes we have implemented include a contractual requirement for NHS dentists to keep their NHS.UK profiles up to date to make it easier for patients to seek treatment, improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work and greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver NHS treatment, while enabling full use of the dental team.NHS England have published additional guidance for dentists and commissioners as part of this package. Patients who are struggling to find a local dentist can contact NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre for assistance or contact NHS 111 if seeking urgent care.NHS England, regional teams and integrated care boards across England are also working together to ensure that patients continue to have access to NHS dental care. We know that we need to do more, and we are working with NHS England and stakeholders to consider additional reforms of the NHS dental system coming shortly this year.We are also committed to publishing a long-term NHS workforce plan that will set out the actions and reforms that are required to reduce supply gaps and improve retention, including in dentistry.

Dental Health

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that all families have access to (a) a toothbrush and (b) toothpaste.

Neil O'Brien: In England local authorities are responsible for assessing oral health needs, developing oral health strategies, and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for children and adults in their local area. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has published ‘Improving oral health: an evidence-informed toolkit for local authorities’, which includes a recommendation for the targeted provision of toothbrushes and tooth paste to preschool and school aged children. The toolkit is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-oral-health-an-evidence-informed-toolkit-for-local-authorities

Dental Services: Children

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to commission (a) dental surgeons and (b) other professional educators to deliver preventative dental health programmes to children and young people.

Neil O'Brien: The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has published an evidence-based toolkit, ‘Delivering Better Oral Health - an evidence-based toolkit for prevention’, for dental teams and other healthcare professionals to support preventive advice and treatment for their patients, including the prevention of tooth decay in children. The toolkit is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention.In England local authorities are responsible for assessing oral health needs, developing oral health strategies, and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for children and adults in their local area. OHID has also published a toolkit for local authorities, ‘Improving oral health: an evidence-informed toolkit for local authorities’, which includes a recommendation for oral health training for the wider professional workforce. This is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-oral-health-an-evidence-informed-toolkit-for-local-authorities

Members: Correspondence

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to reply to the letters of 18 April and 18 May from the Hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of his constituent Clare Cox about ventilation to reduce infection risks.

Will Quince: The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Markham) replied to the hon. Member on 23 June 2023.

Tobacco

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry, published on 19 June, what plans he has to disseminate that guidance to all (a) branches and (b) levels of government and public authorities.

Neil O'Brien: The Department has written to other Government Departments who may engage with the tobacco industry to inform them of the publication of Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry. A version of the guidance tailored to local authorities developed in collaboration with the Local Government Association will be published shortly.

NHS 111

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Three-Vodafone merger on NHS 111 helpline contracts.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Three-Vodafone merger on NHS 111 helpline contracts.

Will Quince: As an open economy, this Government welcomes and encourages investment where it supports the Prime Minister’s goal of boosting United Kingdom growth and jobs, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security. The Government has robust powers under the National Security & Investment Act, which it introduced, to block or impose remedies on transactions that pose a national security risk.We cannot comment on specific acquisitions nor the applicability of the National Security and Investment regime. It is the responsibility of Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to assess the impact on consumers and competition in the market, with input from sectoral regulators.The Investment Security Unit works closely with the CMA on cases that are being considered for both national security and competition reasons. A memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the Investment Security Unit and the CMA to assist joint working.

NHS: Drugs

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of trends in the level of homecare medicines services on patient safety.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraphs 2.7 and 2.8: Service Performance, of the National Homecare Medicines Committee Good Practice Principles: Provision of Manufacturer Funded Homecare Medicines Services, published in February 2018, what information his Department holds on any notifications between (a) manufacturers and that Committee or individual Clinical Referring Centres and (b) the NHMC or individual Clinical Referring Centres and manufacturers on trends in the performance of a Homecare Provider which can be reasonably considered to compromise patient safety; and whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of measures to protect patient safety.

Will Quince: Providers of Homecare Medicines services operate in a highly regulated environment with obligations to record and monitor quality metrics, including any trends. To monitor industry trends, providers provide the same data set to the trade association, the National Clinical Homecare Association (NCHA), allowing for the aggregation of all providers metrics. The NCHA report that delivery performance of providers (delivery to patients on the agreed date) was 99.0% in 2020; 98.6% in 2021; and 98.8% in 2022. Formal complaints and incidents are also monitored and the data shows that the percentage of complaints raised was 1.4% in 2020; 1.6% in 2021 and 1.8% in 2022 of active patients (this refers to complaints opened, not upheld).The National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC) is not aware of having received any formal written notifications from manufacturers where declining trends can be reasonably considered to compromise patient safety. Information from clinical referring centres is routed via regional National Health Service homecare specialists, as NHMC members.When the Key Performance Indicators indicate that the service levels of a provider on a national or regional framework or contract are not to the standard expected, the NHMC addresses the issue by meeting with individual providers to discuss safety and performance issues. If necessary, the regulators the Care Quality Commission and the General Pharmaceutical Council are also informed.

NHS: Agency Workers

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2023 to Question 187216, what proportion of NHS Bank Staff will receive a non-consolidated payment.

Will Quince: The information requested is not held centrally. Bank staff are employed on locally managed contracts, the terms of which differ by individual trust. It is therefore not possible to determine how many will be eligible to receive the non-consolidated payments.

Rheumatology: Doctors

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will include plans to increase the number of doctors training to become rheumatologists.

Will Quince: To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a Long Term Workforce Plan for the National Health Service workforce for the next 15 years. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.The Government has funded an additional 1,500 undergraduate medical school places per year for domestic students in England, a 25% increase, taking the total number of medical school places in England to 7,500 each year. This expansion was completed in September 2020 and delivered five new medical schools in England. This will help ensure a larger potential pipeline for rheumatology trainees in coming years.In January 2023 Health Education England announced that nearly 900 additional medical specialty training posts have been created for this year.As of February 2023, there were 695 full-time equivalent consultants working in the rheumatology specialism in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England. This is an increase of 20 since last year.

Novo Nordisk

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings Ministers within his Department have had with Novo Nordisk in the past (a) 3, (b) 6 and (c) 9 months.

Will Quince: Ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published on gov.uk.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Reform

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of his Department's proposed reforms to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency on the incentives for international pharmaceutical companies to approach the UK for regulatory approval of their products in the first instance.

Will Quince: There are no proposed reforms to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), therefore no assessment can be made on that basis. However, as set out in the Life Sciences Vision the MHRA is recognised as a global leader and plays a fundamental role in shaping global standards. As an independent sovereign regulator MHRA is able to act with agility to allow safe and timely market access for vaccines, medicines, and technologies to safeguard the health of the United Kingdom population.

Department of Health And Social Care: Data Protection

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure of 14 June 2023 at Topical Questions, T7, Official Report, column 286, what plans his Department has to (a) utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill and (b) use smart data in new sectors.

Will Quince: There is exciting potential to explore Smart Data in further sectors, beyond Open Banking. Government, regulators and industry experts are working together via the Smart Data Council to ensure that the United Kingdom continues to be at the forefront of developments in this space.Before committing to utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill in any given sector, there is work to be done to understand how Smart Data can empower consumers and turbo charge competition.There are no current plans for the Department to utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill.

Rheumatology

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of pharmacists working within rheumatology services.

Neil O'Brien: I refer you to the answer sent to the member for Knowsley on 21 June 2023.

Drugs: Pyridostigmine Bromide

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of the prescription drug Pyridostigmine Bromide.

Will Quince: Supplies of pyridostigmine 60mg tablets are currently available. There was a recent short-term issue with supply of these products and we issued a National Patient Safety Alert advising the National Health Service on how to manage patients who required pyridostigmine 60mg tablets during this time. Supply of pyridostigmine oral solution remained available to meet additional demand. Currently one supplier is in stock and is available to meet national demand of this product. Alternative suppliers are currently out of stock but anticipate resupply in mid-July.

Antibiotics: Prescriptions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent estimate of the number and proportion of people who were given unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics.

Will Quince: No estimate has been made. Use of antimicrobials drives resistance, so it is important that they are used appropriately. The Government’s five year national action plan on tackling AMR focuses on optimising the use of antimicrobials, including a target to reduce antimicrobial use in humans by 15% by 2024.The UK Health Security Agency has published tools and methodologies that can be used by clinicians to inform appropriate antibiotic use. This includes an audit tool to determine the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing at the individual patient level in acute NHS hospitals.There have been several campaigns to inform the public about appropriate use of antibiotics including the ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ campaign, which was launched in 2017 and relaunched again in November 2019. Members of the public should continue to take their doctor's advice on whether they need antibiotics or not.

Rheumatology

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will include plans to increase the number of rheumatology (a) consultants and (b) clinical nurse specialists.

Will Quince: To support the workforce as a whole, we have commissioned NHS England to develop a Long Term Workforce Plan for the National Health Service workforce for the next 15 years. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.We continue to grow the NHS workforce and as of March 2023 there has been an increase of over 12,900 more nurses and over 5,400 more doctors since the previous year.   We are on target to meet the 50,000 nurses’ commitment, with over 44,000 more nurses in March 2023 than there were in September 2019.As of February 2023, there are 695 full-time equivalent consultants working in the rheumatology specialism in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England. This is an increase of 20 since last year. We do not hold data on clinical nurse specialists.

Malnutrition: Children

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children were admitted to hospital via accident and emergency with a (a) primary and (b) secondary diagnosis of malnutrition in each month of the last five years.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of children being admitted to A&E with an (a) primary and (b) secondary diagnosis of scurvy per (i) month and (ii) year.

Will Quince: The count of finished admission episode (FAE) for patients aged 0 to 17 years old, with a primary or secondary diagnosis of malnutrition or scurvy, where the patient was admitted from accident and emergency, split by year and month of admission for the period January 2018 to March 2022 is shown in the table attached.Data from April 2022 to March 2023 is provisional and is not included.Malnutrition (docx, 27.9KB)Scurvy (docx, 30.0KB)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how long on average the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency takes to respond to written correspondence from Hon and Rt Hon Members.

Will Quince: Over the last six months, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency takes (MHRA) Customer Experience Centre have handled on average 5,500 enquiries per month. The MHRA received 56 enquiries from Honourable and Right Honourable Members between 1 December 2022 and 31 May 2023. Of these, seven were responded to within the 18 working day target, 17 were responded to outside of the 18 working day target, and 32 await a response. The average response time across the 56 enquiries is 46.5 days. All 56 enquiries have been acknowledged.

Clinical Trials

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include requirements on disclosing the costs of publicly funded research in the context of changes of the regulation of clinical trials.

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it is his policy that requirements on the disclosure of the costs of publicly-funded research should be included as part of wider changes to the regulation of clinical trials.

Will Quince: There are no plans to include requirements for disclosure of the costs of publicly funded research within the new regulatory framework for clinical trials in the United Kingdom that is currently under development.

Exercise

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to increase access to exercise consultants and sports and exercise medicine through the NHS.

Will Quince: To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a long term workforce plan for the NHS workforce for the next 15 years. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.The Department and Sport England have delivered the Moving Healthcare Professionals Programme to enable all healthcare professionals to embed the promotion of sport and physical activity into routine care for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases.

NHS: Mental Health Services

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs remaining open.

Will Quince: The staff mental health hubs were established in October 2020 with funding subsequently extended to March 2023. They were funded on a non-recurrent basis using additional funding from Government as a short-term response to the pressure on the workforce from COVID-19.To ensure that specialist support for staff remains available, we have worked with NHS England to ensure a regional roll out with one or more mental health hub per region during 2023/24. This will ensure access to a clinical psychologist, assistant psychologists and support line staff, and ensure suitable administrative support for managing caseloads and supporting outreach to identify staff in need of support. Regions and integrated care boards will have the ability to target funding where it is most needed and to invest additional monies in the hubs where they feel this is needed.NHS England has developed a range of health and wellbeing support for staff, and earlier this year published a strategy to grow and strengthen occupational health and wellbeing services across the National Health Service. NHS staff can continue to access NHS Practitioner Health, a national support service for staff with more complex mental health needs brough about by serious issues such as trauma or addiction.

Smoking: Health Services

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of smoking cessation (a) products and (b) approaches; and what research his Department has commissioned into the efficacy of smoking cessation (i) products and (ii) approaches.

Neil O'Brien: The assessment of the efficacy of smoking cessation products and approaches are presented in the evidence review for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline ‘Tobacco: preventing uptake, promoting quitting and treating dependence’ published 30 November 2021 available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng209/evidence/evidence-reviews-11188110061?tab=evidenceThrough the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department regularly commissions research into the efficacy of smoking cessation products and approaches. Active NIHR projects include:- Effectiveness of Electronic Cigarettes compared with combination nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease And effect on Lung health (ECAL study);- Effects of e-cigarettes vs usual care for smoking cessation when offered at homeless centres: A cluster randomised controlled trial;- Cessation of Smoking Trial in the Emergency Department (CoSTED); and- Do e-cigarettes help smokers quit when not accompanied by intensive behavioural support? The NIHR is also the largest funder of the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group which conducts systematic reviews of the evidence on interventions to prevent and treat tobacco addiction.

Pharmacy: Closures

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made made of the potential impact of pharmacy closures in (a) England and (b) Oxford West and Abingdon constituency on practising pharmacy services.

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to recruit and retain (a) pharmacists and (b) pharmacy prescription checkers.

Neil O'Brien: The Department closely monitors the market to ensure people in England have good access to National Health Service pharmaceutical services. Despite the increase in pharmacy closures seen in recent years, there are a similar number of pharmacies to ten years ago and 80% of the population live within 20 minutes’ walking distance of a pharmacy.Every three years local authorities in England undertake pharmaceutical needs assessments for their areas to ensure provision continues to meet their population’s needs. The number of pharmacist training places annually is uncapped. In England, each year around 2,500 pharmacists enter training and the net increase in pharmacists practicing across all sectors is around 1,400 per year since 2016. NHS England are also investing £15.9 million to increase the number of pharmacy staff in primary and community care and develop skills in the existing workforce.We have commissioned NHS England to develop a long term workforce plan for the next 15 years. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills, to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.

Clinical Trials

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency meets its statutory obligation to assess clinical trials within 60 days of notification.

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to conduct clinical trial approvals by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the UK's life sciences sector.

Will Quince: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is committed to making regulatory decisions in accordance with statutory timeframes. The MHRA has recently undertaken a significant recruitment exercise to bring on board new specialist staff to increase clinical trial assessor capacity within the Agency. The MHRA are supplementing this new assessor capacity with additional fixed-term resource of appropriately experienced and qualified specialists to support the training and supervision of new staff.The MHRA continue to develop plans to increase staff capability and expertise, and to review internal processes for efficiencies. To that end, significant progress has been made to draft proposals for how a risk-proportionate approach to clinical trial assessments could be implemented.Following public consultation, the MHRA plans to reform national legislation to deliver a world-class sovereign regulatory environment for clinical trials that will support the development of innovative medicines and ensure that the UK retains and grows its reputation as a world leading base for life sciences.

NHS: Sexual Offences

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle incidents of sexual assault against NHS staff.

Will Quince: There is no place for sexual misconduct, violence, abuse, or harassment in the National Health Service. NHS leaders have a statutory duty of care to look after their patients and staff. They must provide an environment for every person using or working in their services to be sexually safe.Tackling sexual harassment and assault of NHS staff is one of NHS England’s top priorities and they are working with NHS organisations to ensure this is prioritised at every level. They have established a Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence programme to build on existing safeguarding processes. As a part of the new programme, they are carrying out a review of policies, support and training relating to staff who experience domestic abuse and sexual violence. This will create a ‘gold standard’ that will be available to integrated care boards, trusts and royal colleges.

Diets

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to provide people with access to (a) professional dietary (i) information and (ii) support and (b) weight control support.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle obesity-related ill health in adults.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help people change (a) diet and (b) exercise to (i) achieve and (ii) maintain healthy BMI.

Neil O'Brien: We are delivering an ambitious programme of work to create a healthier environment to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight. New Regulations on out of home calorie labelling for food sold in large businesses, including restaurants, cafes and takeaways, came into force in April 2022. Restrictions on the promotion by location of products high in fat, salt or sugar came into force in October 2022. We are also working with the food industry to make further progress on reformulation and ensure it is easier for the public to make healthier choices. Local authorities and the National Health Service provide weight management services to support their communities to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. A two-year pilot backed by up to £40 million will explore ways to make National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved weight loss drugs accessible to patients living with obesity outside of hospital settings. This pilot, in conjunction with the obesity healthcare mission and its additional £20 million of Government research funding, will work together to create a continuum of support for the most promising technologies for the treatment of obesity and ensure the United Kingdom is a world-class location to trial, pilot and rollout innovation. The Department will continue to work on cross Government strategies to help reduce inactivity levels in the population and help address health issues arising from weight related conditions. We are working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the new Sport Strategy, which will include reducing inactivity levels and provide support for access to physical activity. We are also working with the Department for Education on the School Sport and Activity Action Plan to encourage more physical activity in children and young people in and out of school and helping schools to become healthier places. The Department has also worked on the Moving Healthcare Professionals Programme with Sport England and NHS Horizons to help embed physical activity into the healthcare system and help healthcare professionals provide physical activity advice to their patients in order to assist them with maintaining a healthy weight and the prevention and management of chronic conditions. Our Better Health resources including free evidence-based apps and tools, support people to make and sustain changes to improve their health. These include the NHS Weight Loss app, Food Scanner App, ‘Couch to 5K’ and ‘Active 10’. Since Summer 2020, over 13 million positive actions have been taken a result of Better Health adult obesity campaigns, helping people eating more healthily and increase physical activity. The Department is also currently running ‘Better Health: Rewards in Wolverhampton’, a digital health incentives pilot that supports users to improve their physical activity and diet through financial incentives. The Government encourages everyone to have a healthy balanced diet in line with the UK’s healthy eating model, the Eatwell Guide, which shows that foods high in saturated fat, salt or sugar should be eaten less often or in small amounts. The Government continues to promote the Eatwell Guide principles through the NHS.UK, Better Health and Healthier Families websites. Our Major Conditions Strategy call for evidence, which closed 27 June, sought views on how the healthcare system can support people to live healthier lives, including supporting them to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Sports: Health Services

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase (a) the number of sports and exercise consultants and (b) access to sports and exercise medicine.

Will Quince: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Feltham and Heston on 14 June 2023 to Question 187999.

Rheumatology: Training

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) allied health professionals entering specialist rheumatology training.

Will Quince: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bootle on 30 May 2023 to Question 185980.

Electronic Cigarettes

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what companies are providing vaping devices for the Swap to stop scheme.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the value is of each contract with companies under the Swap to stop scheme.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what vaping devices are included in the Swap to stop scheme.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for the roll-out of the Swap to stop scheme.

Neil O'Brien: The national ‘Swap to stop’ scheme is currently in development and more details will be available in due course.

Rheumatology: Staff

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to increase the number of NHS staff providing rheumatology care in (a) the South East London Integrated Care System and (b) England.

Will Quince: In January 2023 Health Education England announced that nearly 900 additional medical specialty training posts have been created for this year, including five rheumatology posts. The Government has also funded an additional 1,500 undergraduate medical school places per year for domestic students in England, which is a 25% increase, taking the total number of medical school places in England to 7,500 each year. This expansion was completed in September 2020 and delivered five new medical schools in England. This will help ensure a larger potential pipeline for rheumatology trainees in coming years across England, including in the South East London Integrated Care System.Specialising in Rheumatology is a post-registration option for nurses and allied health professionals. The Government is on track to ensure there are at least an additional 50,000 nurses in place by 31 March 2024 compared to September 2019, which will increase the pool of nurses who may wish to specialise in rheumatology.Rheumatology services are generally commissioned locally by integrated care boards which have a statutory responsibility to commission healthcare services that meet the needs of their whole population.

Energy Drinks: Children

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's policy is on a potential ban on the sale high energy drinks to children.

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Welsh Government on its proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children under 16; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward a similar proposal.

Neil O'Brien: We have consulted on a proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children in England and we will be setting out our full response to the consultation in due course. There have been no such recent discussions.

Rheumatology: Allied Health Professions

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand the number of allied health professionals working within rheumatology teams.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to increase the number of allied health professionals working within rheumatology teams.

Will Quince: The composition of rheumatology teams is for local determination. In 2021/22, the Health Education England (HEE) National AHP Workforce Supply Project (2021/22) delivered recruitment initiatives including improved return to practice pathways, pre-registration apprenticeships and more jobs for new graduates. A HEE national programme started in 2022/23 to support National Health Service trusts with allied health professionals (AHP) international recruitment.The AHPs Strategy for England ‘AHP’s Deliver 2022-2027’ was published in June 2022, one of the key ambitions is to promote the wellbeing of AHPs. HEE is developing Advanced Practice Credentials for Allied Health Professionals, this supports retention of staff through increased job satisfaction and improved quality of care, by enhancing AHP clinical and leadership skills.

NHS: Software

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an estimate of the number of computers in the NHS that use the (a) Windows XP and (b) Windows 7.

Will Quince: The NHS England Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) monitors over 2 million devices across the NHS IT estate, identifying and preventing cyber threats. This includes monitoring the number of National Health Service computers using Windows XP and Windows 7, which stands at approximately 0.58% of the visible NHS estate.The Department works with NHS England to monitor levels of unsupported systems across the NHS estate and to ensure that the risks are being appropriately managed. This includes taking regulatory action where organisations are not doing so. Where organisations are still running operating systems such as Windows 7 or Windows XP, such as on some large, legacy clinical devices, they are required to implement additional controls to manage the cyber security risk.

NHS: Safety

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in the Scottish Government on the lessons learned from the implementation of Scan4Safety in Scotland.

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the roll-out of the Scan4Safety initiative.

Will Quince: The NHS Mandate 2023 sets out the requirement for the National Health Service to adopt digital scanning. By March 2024, all trusts should adopt barcode scanning of high-risk medical devices and submission to the national, mandatory Medical Device Outcome Registry (MDOR) either directly or via a supporting electronic health record (EHR) or inventory management system that can support registry data submission. The registry will be used to improve patient safety and outcomes in procedures that use high risk medical devices.MDOR has native barcode scanning, including Unique Device Identifier (UDI) barcodes, so will result in the whole of England having an available UDI scanning solution without having to implement a separate system. The registry was launched in May 2023 and will accept bulk uploads from existing providers’ solutions, including Scan4Safety, that meet the data quality and completeness requirements. The Outcomes and Registries programme will support provider adoption of digital solutions that enable medical device traceability on the electronic patient record.The Secretary of State has exchanged letters with the Scottish Government setting out the UK Government’s commitment to delivering the recommendation of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review and on the approach for MDOR. The intention is that each Devolved Administration has the option to ‘opt in’ to existing or future technical registry developments in MDOR, building on the different data programmes and local approaches to traceability and patient outcome monitoring being taken at Devolved Administration levels.

Drugs: Licensing

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NICE appraisals have been terminated in (a) 2018-2019, (b) 2019-2020, (c) 2020-2021 and (d) 2021-2022.

Will Quince: The following table shows the number of appraisals terminated by the National institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the timeframes requested: 2018/192019/202020/212021/22Appraisals published (including terminated appraisals)56536394Terminated appraisals6101319 Appraisals were terminated due to the company not making an evidence submission to NICE. NICE requires companies to submit evidence on the technology or technologies being evaluated. In line with its established process and methods, NICE terminates an evaluation if no evidence submission is received.

Clinical Trials

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will conduct an inquiry into potential reforms to clinical research and trials to (a) scale up, (b) speed up and (c) increase the number of such trials in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK.

Will Quince: The Department has no plans to conduct an inquiry into clinical research reforms as work in this area is already in progress. The Government's vision for clinical research delivery, set out in ‘Saving and Improving Lives: The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’ (2021), aims to create a patient-centred, innovative, and digitally enabled environment. This includes improving study set-up, speed and efficiency, increasing the participation of patients within clinical trials and integrating clinical research within health and social care practice.Lord James O’Shaughnessy was appointed by Government to conduct an independent review into the United Kingdom commercial clinical trials landscape. The Review, published 26 May, makes 27 recommendations, with an emphasis on speed of delivery, transparency of clinical research data and easier recruitment for UK clinical trials. The Government welcomes the recommendations set out in Lord O'Shaughnessy's independent review and in its response makes five headline commitments to improve the commercial clinical trials system.No centralised information is available for clinical trials in Scotland, and the Department cannot provide a response on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Rheumatology: Paediatrics

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will include specific plans to increase the number of paediatric rheumatology (a) consultants and (b) clinical nurse specialists.

Will Quince: To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a Long Term Workforce Plan for the National Health Service workforce for the next 15 years. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.We continue to grow the NHS workforce and as of March 2023 there has been an increase of over 12,900 more nurses and over 5,400  more doctors since the previous year.    We are on target to meet the 50,000 nurses commitment, with over 44,000 more nurses in March 2023 than there were in September 2019.As of February 2023, there were 695 full-time equivalent consultants working in the rheumatology specialism in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England. This is an increase of 20 since last year. We do not hold data for paediatric rheumatology and clinical nurse specialists.

NHS: Pay

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including NHS workers employed in (a) charities and (b) social enterprises in the Agenda for Change pay awards.

Will Quince: Independent providers, including not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment. This includes the pay scales that they use and any non-consolidated pay awards they choose to make. It is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate, and how to recoup any additional costs they face.

Rheumatology: Vacancies

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) rheumatology consultants, (b) rheumatology clinical nurse specialists, (c) specialist rheumatology physiotherapists, (d) psychologists, (e) podiatrists, (f) occupational health therapists and (g) specialist rheumatology pharmacists in England; and what steps his Department is taking to fill vacancies in each of those areas.

Will Quince: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, by staff group, working in England, as of February 2023.Staff GroupNumber of FTE staffRheumatology Consultants695Rheumatology Clinical Nurse SpecialistsNo data heldSpecialist Rheumatology PhysiotherapistsNo data heldPsychologists (Applied Psychology)8,399Podiatrists2,549Occupational Health Therapists16,419Specialist Rheumatology PharmacistsNo data heldSource: NHS Workforce Statistics To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan for the National Health Service workforce for the next 15 years. The Government has committed to publishing the Long-Term Workforce Plan shortly.  This will include projections for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. The long-term NHS workforce plan will look at the mix and number of staff required and will set out the actions and reforms across the NHS that will be needed to reduce supply gaps and improve retention. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.On 10 January 2023, Health Education England (HEE) announced that nearly 900 additional medical specialty training posts will be created for this year, including an additional five rheumatology specialty training posts. Rheumatology is a popular specialty with over 95% of training places being filled.

Clinical Trials

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what lessons from the covid-19 pandemic his Department is applying to its policy on clinical trials.

Will Quince: The United Kingdom’s clinical research ecosystem is actively learning from the successful COVID-19 research response. The UK Government published its vision in ‘Saving and Improving Lives: The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’ in March 2021. The vision sets out the ambition to create a patient-centred, pro-innovation, and digitally enabled clinical research environment. This includes the prioritisation of the improvement in study set-up speed and efficiency by expediting costing, contracting, and approvals. Implementing the vision will unleash the true potential of our clinical research environment to improve health, capitalise on our renowned research expertise, and make the UK one of the best places in the world to design and deliver research.

Out-patients

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS England's publication entitled Implementing patient initiated follow-up: Guidance for local health and care systems, published on 17 May 2022, on what evidential basis NHS England decided that outpatient follow ups should be reduced by a minimum of 25 per cent against 2019-20 activity levels by March 2023.

Will Quince: NHS England’s 2023/24 Planning Guidance makes clear that whilst the national ambition is to reduce outpatient follow-ups by 25%, the opportunity to do so will differ by trust and specialty, and local planning should inform how the ambition will be delivered across the system. The 25% reduction only applies to follow-ups where a procedure does not take place and excludes specific services like maternity and mental health.These appointments are often termed as reviews, and some patients and clinicians will argue that these are often of low value and that patients should only attend reviews when they are clinically necessary.

Children: Protection

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children of alcohol dependent parents his Department has identified at risk in each local authority in the last 12 months.

Neil O'Brien: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for each individual local authority to identify local risk and service need.

Children: Protection

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding from the Drug Strategy Fund he plans to dedicate to the Children of Alcohol Dependent Parents Programme.

Neil O'Brien: The Department is not mandating how local authorities (LAs) spend their allocation of the drug strategy funding. It is for LAs to determine what interventions best augment their current treatment system and local need, based on a menu of interventions. The menu of interventions includes several interventions relating to children and families.The Department has and will continue to encourage LAs to invest in interventions that will benefit, children and families. We provide oversight of local delivery at a national level and continue to monitor implementation against the aims of the drug strategy. We estimate between £2.4 million and £5.6 million of drug strategy funding was spent on family interventions and parental substance misuse in 2022/23.

Pharmacy

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish his Department's response to the consultation entitled Hub and spoke dispensing, published on 16 March 2022.

Neil O'Brien: We are committed to pursuing legislative changes to level the playing field and enable all community pharmacies to make use of hub and spoke dispensing arrangements. We consulted on this last year and are currently finalising a response to the consultation, our aim is to publish this as soon as possible.

Psychiatry: Children and Young People

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many training posts in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry were commissioned by (a) NHS England and (b) other provider organisations in each region of England in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many training posts in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry are forecast to be commissioned by (a) NHS England and (b) other provider organisations in each region of England in each year between 2023 and 2031.

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists were employed by the NHS in (a) each region of England and (b) each integrated care system area in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: Most medical speciality training posts are commissioned centrally, and tariff funded, but some training posts are commissioned and funded by individual trusts as part of this recruitment process.The table attached shows the number of higher speciality child and adolescent psychiatry commissioned posts for 2021/2022 to 2023/2024. It also shows a) the number of all full-time equivalent doctors and b) the number of consultants, working in the speciality of child and adolescent psychiatry in National Health Service provider trusts and core organisations by NHS England region and Integrated Care System for February 2019 to February 2023.The additional posts in the years after 2021/2022 are part of the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan. There are a further 15 posts (bringing the number of commissioned posts to a total of 277) planned for 2024/25 which have not yet been allocated to regions.The Department does not hold the data for the years before 2021/22, nor does it hold information on the planned number of posts for years beyond 2024/2025.Tables (xlsx, 24.8KB)

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what treatment options are available through the NHS to support individuals who have had (a) injuries, (b) side effects and (c) other symptoms separate to long Covid following their covid-19 vaccinations.

Maria Caulfield: In the very rare event where an individual may have suffered a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, care is likely to be best managed by local National Health Service specialist services, augmented as appropriate by national specialist advice. Any continuing care would be met by local care services with expertise in the treatment of disease or disability, as appropriate.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated to understanding the (a) causes of, (b) symptoms of and (c) potential treatment for people's (i) injuries and (ii) other symptoms following the administration of covid-19 vaccinations.

Maria Caulfield: The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Vaccines must be tested in a wide range of studies, including clinical trials to establish their efficacy and safety, and have a product licence, known as a ‘marketing authorisation’ before they can be made available for widespread use in humans. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NIHR has allocated over £110 million in funding for COVID-19 vaccine research that has included consideration of vaccine safety and robust monitoring of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including vaccine side effects.

Merntal Health Services: Mothers

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include birth trauma in the Women's Health Strategy in the future.

Maria Caulfield: The Women’s Health Strategy sets out our plans for boosting the health and wellbeing of women and girls, and for improving how the health and care system listens to women. Fertility, pregnancy, pregnancy loss and postnatal support, and mental health and wellbeing, are both priority areas in the strategy.As set out in the strategy, NHS England is improving perinatal mental health support. Mental health services around England are being expanded to include new mental health “hubs” for new, expectant or bereaved mothers. The 33 new maternal mental health services will provide psychological therapy, maternity services and reproductive health for women with mental health needs following trauma or loss related to their maternity experience. These will be available across England by March 2024.In addition, specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Services care will be available from preconception to 24 months after birth by 2023/24, with increased access to evidence-based psychological therapies.

Antidepressants

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what percentage of people in (a) St Helens, (b) Merseyside and (c) the UK have been on antidepressants for more than 12 months.

Maria Caulfield: The data requested is not held centrally.

Mermaids

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department met representatives from Mermaids since 2020.

Maria Caulfield: I have not met with Mermaids in my time as a Minister in the Department. Ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published on GOV.uk.Information on how many times officials have met with representatives from Mermaids could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Abortion: Drugs

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy (abortion) in England, what specific implications relating to the taking of abortion medicines beyond the legal limit of 9 weeks and 6 days gestation women should be made aware of under that guidance when having an early medical abortion at home.

Maria Caulfield: Women having an early medical abortion at home should be informed of the implications, health and otherwise, of taking the abortion medicine beyond the legal limit of nine weeks and six days gestation. Women would also be advised on self-management including any signs and symptoms and when to obtain healthcare support, how to dispose of or return the abortion pills if they are not used and how they can be sure that the pregnancy has ended.The Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures, which all independent abortion providers must comply with, set out that woman seeking an abortion should be informed about their options so that they can make an informed choice about their preferred course of action within the legal framework for abortion in England.

Autism: Children

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Department is taking steps to ensure that interim support is provided for children awaiting an assessment for autism.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England has recently published a national framework and Operational Guidance to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways. The guidance aims to support integrated care systems to make the best of their resources by setting out how pathways can best be delivered and is supplementary to relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on autism. This guidance provides information on facilitating appropriate pre-assessment support while people are waiting for an assessment, including specific factors which may be relevant for children. This will help improve the experience of people, including children, who are awaiting an autism assessment.This year, 2023/2024, £4.2 million of funding is available to improve services for autistic children and young people, including autism assessment services and pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the ‘Autism in Schools’ programme.The ‘Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years’ is clear that meeting the needs of a child with Special Educational Needs does not require a diagnostic label or test. The Department for Education has invested £600,000 in a pilot in schools which looked to improve early identification of autism and other neurodiverse conditions. This has led to the development of an electronic neurodiversity profiling tool which helps schools identify children with autism and other neurodiverse conditions early, so that they can put proven support mechanisms in place. This tool is now being used in the Bradford area.

Autism: Nottinghamshire

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for children requiring an assessment for autism in Nottinghamshire.

Maria Caulfield: We expect integrated care boards (ICBs), including Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB, to have due regard to relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on autism when commissioning services for children and young people requiring an autism assessment. On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services. These documents will help the National Health Service to improve their autism assessment services and improve the experience for children who are referred to an autism assessment service.Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB has been working closely with commissioned providers to increase their capacity and reduce the waiting times for assessments, whilst it reviews the wider children and young people neurodevelopmental pathway. This will identify areas of improvement and the necessary actions required to ensure Nottinghamshire has the right provision, with the right levels of commissioned capacity in place, that best meets the needs of its children and young people in a timely manner.Relevant work has included reviews of pre-assessment services to reduce inherited waiting lists and the length of waiting times, with a focus on the referrals process, triage assessment and parenting support, additional non-recurrent funding to increase capacity to reduce backlogs, appointing additional Specialist Practitioners, and to increase the capacity of Community Paediatric teams and recurrent funding for additional Consultant Psychologists.

Rheumatology: Labour Turnover

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve levels of staff retention of healthcare professionals working in rheumatology services.

Helen Whately: The NHS People Plan and People Promise set out a comprehensive range of actions to improve staff retention. They provide a strong focus on creating a more modern, compassionate and inclusive National Health Service culture by strengthening health and wellbeing, equality and diversity, culture and leadership and flexible working.NHS priorities and operational planning guidance 2023/24 has asked systems to refresh their 2022/23 whole system workforce plans to improve staff retention through a systematic focus on all elements of the NHS People Promise.In addition, the NHS Retention Programme is continuously seeking to understand why staff leave, resulting in targeted interventions to support staff to stay whilst keeping them well. A staff retention guide has been updated and includes information on supporting staff in their late and early career with specific focus on induction, reward and recognition and menopause support.  These initiatives apply across all NHS staff groups, including healthcare professionals working in rheumatology services.

Rheumatology: Lewisham Deptford

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of rheumatology care in Lewisham Deptford constituency in the last (a) 12 and (d) 24 months.

Helen Whately: No assessment has been made. Rheumatology services are generally commissioned locally by integrated care boards which have a statutory responsibility to commission healthcare services that meet the needs of their whole population.

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is taking steps to approve Enhertu for use in the treatment of cancers other than breast cancer.

Helen Whately: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently in the early stages of developing technology appraisal guidance on treatments for non-small-cell lung cancer, including Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and held a scoping workshop focusing on this topic on 24 April 2023.

Pharmacy: Finance

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of an uplift in funding for pharmacies.

Neil O'Brien: The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) 2019-24 five-year deal commits £2.592 billion each year to the sector. In September 2022, we announced an additional one-off £100 million investment across this and last financial year. In May, as part of the Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, we announced a further investment of up to £645 million over two years to expand the services offered by community pharmacies.

HIV Infection: Disease Control

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an assessment of progress against each of the individual UNAIDS targets (a) by age, (b) by ethnicity and (c) for (i) gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, (ii) heterosexual women, (iii) heterosexual men, (iv) people who acquired HIV through injecting drug use and (v) people who acquired HIV through vertical transmission.

Neil O'Brien: UK Health Security Agency undertakes the monitoring of progress against the UNAIDS targets and publishes these as part of the HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework. Information is not currently presented with breakdowns by demographic characteristics or probable route of HIV exposure. Some of this data will be available and published in future reports for the HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework.

HIV Infection: Disease Control

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the Retention and Engagement in Care Task-and-Finish Group to report; and who the members of that Group are.

Neil O'Brien: As part of the Government’s HIV Action Plan, a retention and re-engagement in care task and finish group was established in 2023. This group will provide advice on increasing the number of people retained and re-engaged in care and receiving effective medical care. They will present their recommendations to the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group in due course, who will agree how the advice will be taken forward.Members of the group includes UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, Local Government Association, HIV Clinical Reference Group, British HIV Association, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners Group, Association of Directors of Public Health, BHA for Equality, National AIDS Trust and Terrence Higgins Trust.

Dental Services: Children

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of schools collecting data on whether children and young people are seeing an NHS dentist.

Neil O'Brien: No specific assessment has been made. NHS Digital publishes Dental Statistics for England which includes information on the number of adults and children seen by a dentist, and is available from the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics/2021-22-annual-reportOfficial guidance states that adults with good oral healthcare should be seen by a dentist once every 24 months and that children should be seen by a dentist once every 12 months. Therefore, the data is published in this format, so that the number of adults regularly visiting their dentist can be shown.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to introduce a sexual health strategy; and ensure adequate funding is in place to help reduce sexually transmitted infections.

Neil O'Brien: We are committed to improving sexual heath in England and have published our HIV Action Plan in 2021 which sets out our ambitions and actions to achieve no new HIV transmission in England by 2030. Great progress has been made during the first year of its implementation, as set out by the annual report to Parliament published on 7 June, and we are considering the next steps needed to continue improving the sexual health of the whole population.As part of this plan, we are investing more than £3.5 million from 2021 to 2024 to deliver the National HIV Prevention Programme for England, including National HIV Testing Week and other campaigns to improve information and testing for HIV and other STIs.Sexual health services (SHSs) play a key public health role in diagnosis, early treatment and management of STIs and we are providing more than £3.5 billion to local authorities through the public health grant to fund public health services, including SHSs, in this financial year. Individual local authorities are responsible for and well placed to make funding and commissioning decisions about the SHSs that best meet the needs of their local populations.

Pharmacy: Stockport

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of pharmacies in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Stockport Borough.

Neil O'Brien: There were 24 community pharmacies in Stockport constituency and 66 community pharmacies in Stockport Borough included on the latest NHS pharmaceutical list as of 31 March 2023. The list is updated every quarter and published by NHS Business Services Authority on their open data portal available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/consolidated-pharmaceutical-list.Pharmaceutical services are also available, to the people of Stockport, from distance selling pharmacies.

Genito-urinary Medicine and HIV Infection

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that specialties such as HIV and sexual health with tariffs are reimbursed within the Integrated care systems framework.

Neil O'Brien: Where delivered by secondary healthcare providers, reimbursement of activities in specialties such as HIV and sexual health is subject to the NHS Payment Scheme rules, which is designed to support the delivery of more and better healthcare within the level of funding available. These services are funded through allocations to commissioners who agree contract values with providers who undertake the activity.

HIV Infection

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to ensure integrated care systems deliver HIV healthcare programmes.

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that areas of higher deprivation receive adequate support through the Integrated care systems so that they can continue to deliver preexisting HIV services.

Neil O'Brien: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services are open access and any adults with a diagnosis of HIV can self-refer, regardless of United Kingdom address. Any service diagnosing HIV in adults can refer to any specialised HIV service provider. This facilitates equitable access to care.As set out in the NHS England Roadmap, specialised HIV inpatient and outpatient services have been identified as key areas for greater integrated care systems leadership by NHS England and integrated care boards (ICBs). Integrating the commissioning of HIV treatment services with ICBs, will allow local systems to simplify and strengthen HIV care pathways with other services through effective local partnerships, including in areas of higher deprivation.The national Service Specification for Adult HIV services is also currently under review by NHS England. The Specification Working Group will ensure that the revised specification reflects any changes in practice since 2013, ensures close working with other relevant services, and is fit for purpose in the new commissioning landscape regardless of the level of deprivation in an area.As part of the Government’s HIV Action Plan, a retention and re-engagement in care task and finish group was established in 2023. This group will provide advice on increasing the number of people retained and re-engaged in care and receiving effective medical care.They will present their recommendations to the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group in due course, who will agree how the advice will be taken forward.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Danny Kruger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the (a) vaccine, (b) resourcing, (c) other direct, (d) marketing and promotional and (e) other indirect costs of vaccinating children under the age of 18 for covid-19 in 2023.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England manages the costs of the COVID-19 vaccine programme across each campaign, rather than on a vaccine-by-vaccine basis. This funding covers the direct cost of vaccinating as well as additional central programme costs. No marketing has been specifically directed at vaccinating under 18s in 2023 to protect against COVID-19. Other indirect costs are not specific to vaccinating under 18s; they are for the wider vaccination programme and support vaccinating under 18s only where relevant. The price that the Government has paid for any COVID-19 vaccine is commercially sensitive. Disclosure would breach the Government’s confidentiality obligations.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: East Riding

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the official designation of parts of the East Riding of Yorkshire as an area of outstanding natural beauty to be made; if she will set out a timeframe for achieving that status; and if she will make a statement.

Trudy Harrison: Natural England, the statutory advisor to Government on landscape, is progressing the multi-year landmark designation programme announced in the summer 2021 which includes the consideration of two new AONBs, in the Yorkshire Wolds within North and East Yorkshire, the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge, and extensions to the Surrey Hills and Chilterns Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The consideration of the four designation are for the first time in decades being project managed concurrently and the full programme is expected to be completed by 2025.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impacts of tuberculosis (a) initial testing, (b) test failure followed by further testing after 60 days and (c) test failure of stock retained on a farm beyond the intended timescale on farm labour.

Mark Spencer: A) Details on the number of cattle tested for bovine TB together with the number of test positive animals are included in our regularly published statistics. Here is a link to the latest statistical notice: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/historical-statistics-notices-on-the-incidence-of-tuberculosis-tb-in-cattle-in-great-britain-2022-quarterly B) We have assumed that the reference to ‘failed tests’ relates to cattle with an “inconclusive reactor” test result. Inconclusive reactors (IRs) are cattle that have a differential bovine-avian reaction to the skin test that is not strong enough to classify them as reactors. These animals remain isolated from their herd while awaiting the results of a retest at 60 days. IRs that do not give a negative result at the retest are deemed to be test reactors and removed. Defra and APHA do not view an inconclusive test result as a ‘failed test’. In the High Risk Area of England, 40% of officially TB free herds that only disclosed IRs went on to have a TB incident within the following 15 months. This was similar in the Edge Area (36%) and Low Risk Area (25%). This indicates that IRs are an important predictor of the presence of infection and supports the policy of restricting IRs that pass their 60-day re-test (‘resolved IRs’) to their disclosing herd for life. C) Defra has made no assessment on the impact on farm labour caused by any overdue tests for cattle with inconclusive test results.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of cattle that failed the tuberculosis skin test were subsequently found to have tuberculosis lesions at post mortem in the latest period for which data is available.

Mark Spencer: Cattle that test positive for TB must be isolated from the herd and are rapidly removed. In 2021, a total of 27,855 cattle were slaughtered for TB disease control purposes in England. The vast majority (94%) of these cattle had a positive result to a TB test, the remaining 6% were considered direct contacts or had 2 inconclusive results and compulsory slaughtered. Visible lesions were found, through post-mortem examination, in 4,869 (18.7%) of the 26,105 TB test positive animals identified in 2021. The absence of visible lesions of TB at post-mortem examination of test positive cattle does not indicate absence of infection.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of stress caused by tuberculosis testing on the rate of abortion in cows.

Mark Spencer: Bovine TB is one of the most significant and costly animal health problems facing our cattle keepers, it has a devasting impact on affected rural businesses. Routine and targeted bTB testing of cattle herds, using effective and validated tests, is a key part of our bTB eradication strategy. No specific assessment of the potential impact of stress caused by tuberculosis testing on the rate of abortion in cows has been commissioned by Defra.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of tuberculosis testing on milk yields in dairy herds.

Mark Spencer: Bovine TB is the most significant and costly animal health problem facing our cattle keepers, it has a devasting impact on affected rural businesses. Routine and targeted bTB testing of cattle herds, using effective and validated tests, is a key part of our bTB eradication strategy. No specific assessment of the potential impact of tuberculosis testing on milk yields in dairy herds has been commissioned by Defra.

Members: Correspondence

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to reply to correspondence from the hon. Member for Stockton North to the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, dated 12 May 2023, on plans for ongoing monitoring and testing of the sea and sea life off the Teesside coast.

Mark Spencer: A reply was sent to the Rt. Hon member on Friday 23 June.

Processed Food: Labelling

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing warning labels for ultra-processed foods to help consumers make more informed choices.

Mark Spencer: Food labelling rules require that information should not be misleading to consumers and should allow consumers to make informed choices. The rules include the requirement to list ingredients in detail on all prepacked food along with nutrition labelling which sets out the energy value and amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt. By viewing this information, consumers can know what is in a food and its key nutritional properties. A requirement to add a warning to food labels is reserved for cases where there is an identified and specific risk to all or a section of consumers, about which they need to be alerted. Such warnings are included in food information regulations relating, for example, to the presence of caffeine above certain levels or aspartame being a source of Phenylalanine as a warning for sufferers of Phenylketonuria (PKU). We are not considering warning labels for Ultra-processed food.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Information Officers

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff worked in her Department's communications department in each of the last five years.

Mark Spencer: Defra Group Communications is the first single employer shared service communications team in Whitehall, working for six organisations. We have merged six geographically dispersed communications teams from the core department and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) and now have a single team operating as an integrated communications function that reduces duplication, improves performance and saved money. Alongside the core department, the team provides communications support for five of the department’s largest ALBs including the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the Forestry Commission and the Rural Payments Agency. The teams work across all communications disciplines in support of the policy and operational priorities within each of these organisations. This includes media, planning, stakeholder engagement, digital communications and internal communications across the six parts of the Defra group. As Defra Group Communications staff work in an agile way in multiple organisations, it is not possible to provide granular full-time equivalent figures for each part of the group, including the core department.

Litter

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will commission research on the potential effectiveness of behavioural science in reducing littering.

Rebecca Pow: Our Litter Strategy already draws on insights from behavioural science and ‘nudge’ theory. Studies have shown that these approaches, which often combine elements of all three means of influencing behaviour set out in the Litter Strategy – education, enforcement and infrastructure - can be very effective ways to address specific types of littering. We are not currently planning to commission further research on the potential effectiveness of behavioural science in reducing littering.

Reservoirs: Yorkshire and the Humber

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the capacity of water reservoirs in Yorkshire to meet future demand; and if she will make a statement.

Rebecca Pow: Reservoir stocks and river flows in Yorkshire are declining, following recent warm and dry months. However, the current rate of decline is much better than 2022, with Yorkshire Water’s prospects submission indicating that temporary use bans are unlikely to be required this summer. Planning is essential to ensure that we meet Yorkshire’s future demands and current legislation ensures the water industry deals with climate change challenges, population growth and protecting the environment. Companies must plan for new supplies, and work hard to achieve the ambitious water saving objectives our Government has set, ensuring a twin track approach to water supply and demand. Yorkshire Water is expected to optimise its system of river, groundwater and reservoirs sources to meet demands. The likely demands and supplies are being modelled by the company and are set out in the statutory plans water companies are required to, and are currently, producing. Reservoirs are managed for that purpose with the company making assessment of capacity and supplies. These plans include customers’ views and look 25 years minimum into the future, setting out the investment needed to meet future demands. They are assessed by my department, including the Environment Agency, Natural England and regulators such as the Drinking Water Inspectorate and Ofwat. The Environment Agency has recently provided comment on all water company draft Water Management Plans, including Yorkshire Water’s. Defra recently published its Plan for Water which set out the importance of ensuring a clean and plentiful water supply. The National Framework for Water Resources, published in March 2020, outlined England’s future water needs across sectors and by region up to 2050, including public water supplies; direct abstraction for agriculture, electricity production and industry; and the water needs of the environment. The Framework proposes the scale of action needed to ensure resilient water supplies are available to meet the needs of future users; and introduces a greater level of ambition for restoring, protecting and improving the environment which sources of all our supplies.

Chewing Gum: Waste Disposal

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the effect on the environment of discarded chewing gum.

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Chewing Gum Taskforce has made on reducing litter.

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the recycling industry on recycling chewing gum.

Rebecca Pow: The Secretary of State has not had recent discussions with the recycling industry on recycling chewing gum. Defra, in partnership with chewing gum producers, has established the Chewing Gum Task Force through which gum producers will invest up to £10 million over five years to help tackle gum littering and staining. In 2022, the Task Force provided funding of £1.25 million to help more than 40 councils across the UK remove gum stains from high streets. By combining targeted street cleaning with specially designed signage encouraging people to bin their gum, also provide by the Task Force, participating councils achieved reductions in gum littering of up to 80% in the first two months. Further details can be found in the Year One Annual Report here: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/local-authorities/reduce-litter/gum-litter/chewing-gum-task-force. The Task Force is currently running a similar scheme for local councils in 2023.

Wildlife: Smuggling

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her policies in tackling the illegal wildlife trade.

Trudy Harrison: The UK is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade to benefit biodiversity, local communities, and the economy, while protecting global security. As part of this commitment, we are increasing our funding and will invest a further £30 million between 2022 and 2025. This includes through Defra’s grant scheme, the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which to date has supported 136 projects in over 60 countries, including projects to change behaviours, strengthen wildlife crime legislation, and help communities to protect the wildlife they rely on for their livelihoods.We recognise the importance of regularly assessing the impact and effectiveness of our efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Most recently, in May 2022, an independent evaluation was carried out on Defra’s Biodiversity Funds, including the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund. The evaluation found strong alignment with the aims of various Multilateral Environmental Agreements, particularly the Convention on Biodiversity, and that projects are highly aligned with the needs of the countries they operate in. The full report can be found at:https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/Monitoring-Evaluation-and-Learning-Report_Publishable.pdf

Public Lavatories: Men

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to update the (a) Waste Duty of Care and (b) other relevant legislation to help ensure it supports the provision of incontinence bins in male toilet facilities.

Rebecca Pow: The Waste Duty of Care legislation makes provision for the safe handling of waste to protect public health and the environment but does not extend to types of waste receptacles and their placement. Where public sanitary bins are provided in local authority provided toilets, the relevant local authority must ensure that bins are managed in accordance with the relevant waste legislation, including the Waste Duty of Care. Regulation 2(3) of the Workplace Regulations aims to ensure that workplaces meet the health, safety and welfare needs of each member of the workforce. The Health and Safety Executive believes the current Workplace Regulations are fit for purpose in this respect although it intends to consider whether the guidance regarding disposal of sanitary dressings in toilets fulfils that aim.

Public Lavatories: Men

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that men who experience incontinence are able to dispose of their incontinence products in specialist bins in male toilets.

Rebecca Pow: Defra oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and of litter. However, Defra has no powers to compel the provision of sanitary bins as the maintenance of public toilets is usually a matter for the relevant local authority, and I would encourage the hon. Member to raise the issue locally. Councils have a duty to make arrangements for the regular emptying and cleansing of any litter bins that they provide or maintain. They also have the power to clean and empty litter bins provided in any street or public place. The emptying of litter bins must be sufficiently frequent to ensure that no such litter bin or its contents becomes a nuisance or gives reasonable grounds for complaint. Sewer blockages can also lead to flooding inside homes and businesses and are expensive to clear.  There are measures in current water industry legislation to protect drains and sewers from damage due to misuse including pouring damaging substances down drains and sewers. Damaging these infrastructures is an offence punishable by a fine or, in more serious cases, imprisonment for a maximum of two years.

Deep Sea Mining

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential environmental impact of deep-sea mining on the seabed.

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent (a) representations and (b) discussions on the potential impact of deep-sea mining on (i) biodiversity and (ii) ecosystems.

Trudy Harrison: Defra works closely with leads across Government to advise on the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining and the provision of effective protection for the marine environment. This includes collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade, which is responsible for state sponsorship of UK Seabed Resources’ two exploration contracts, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which leads the UK delegation to the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the international organisation through which States Parties organise and control deep-sea mining activities. We recognise the growing pressure to extract deep-sea resources and are deeply concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment. This is why the UK will maintain its precautionary and conditional position of not sponsoring or supporting the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects unless and until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems, and a strong, enforceable environmental regulatory framework has been developed at the ISA and is in place. Informed by evidence, we continue to listen to and contribute to discussions on deep-seabed mining, including those at the ISA, pressing for the highest environmental standards in relation to existing exploration activity, and potential future commercial exploitation should that be approved by the ISA. The UK is continuing to develop a better understanding of the impacts of deep-sea mining. Through Government sponsorship of academic research and existing exploration licences, over 70 peer-reviewed publications supporting a greater understanding of environmental issues have already been produced, with more to come. The Government also commissioned an independent review from the British Geological Survey, the National Oceanography Centre and Heriot-Watt University to provide a comprehensive description of current research related to deep-sea mining. It includes elements such as environmental, economic and societal considerations, and identifies key outstanding questions and evidence gaps. The terms of reference and a summary of the evidence review were published October 2022, in line with our commitment to transparency and developing the global evidence base in relation to deep-sea mining. The UK Government is also funding the five-year SMARTEX project on seabed mining and resilience to experimental impacts, which aims to build a better understanding of the ecosystem in the Pacific abyss. In particular, the SMARTEX project aims to add to the scientific evidence base for informed decision-making by understanding the long-term environmental impacts of mining and whether this will have serious consequences for the ecosystem.

Canal and River Trust: Finance

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Government grant to the Canals and Rivers Trust.

Rebecca Pow: The Government’s review of the grant funding for the Canal & River Trust is being concluded, and we expect to announce the decision on future grant funding in due course.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Broadband: Arfon

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of households in Arfon constituency that have requested fibre to the premises broadband do not currently have it.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that households that have been informed by commercial providers that they are not part of their fibre broadband rollout schemes will be connected to fibre broadband.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what her Department's expected timescales are for the rollout of fibre broadband to all premises in Arfon.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been allocated to Arfon constituency to facilitate the (a) rollout of fibre to the premises broadband and (b) provision of infrastructure.

Sir John Whittingdale: Almost 97% of premises in the Arfon constituency are able to access a superfast connection (>= 30Mbps), more than enough for the vast majority of requirements such as high-definition streaming and video calling on multiple devices. Currently, 49% of premises in the Arfon constituency are able to access a full-fibre connection. Households can request a full-fibre connection from suppliers, but we do not hold the data regarding the number of premises that have requested full-fibre connections.In March 2021, the government launched Project Gigabit, its £5 billion mission to deliver gigabit-capable (>1000Mbps) broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans.We conduct extensive market reviews to identify the premises that do not currently have gigabit-capable infrastructure, or are not included in suppliers’ commercial plans. This enables us to identify the premises that are eligible for public subsidy and design the areas for Project Gigabit interventions.We are on track to launch our first procurement covering large parts of Wales this summer, and this is likely to include some premises in the Arfon constituency.On top of our Project Gigabit procurements, the Welsh Government’s Superfast Cymru programme is expected to complete this month, and in total the programme has provided over 100,000 premises in Wales with access to gigabit-capable infrastructure.For the small number of very hard to reach premises which are unlikely to be connected to gigabit-capable infrastructure through Project Gigabit or suppliers’ commercial plans, the government is exploring all possible options for providing improved broadband connectivity.

Artificial Intelligence

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the potential risks of artificial intelligence large language models.

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to scrutinise the activities of artificial intelligence companies.

Paul Scully: The rapid acceleration of AI foundation models represents enormous opportunities for productivity and public good, bringing an estimated $7 trillion in global growth over the next 10 years. However, this technology could also pose significant national security and safety risks. It is important to ensure the right guardrails are in place, as doing so will let us realise this technology's huge opportunities.The Government has published its White Paper setting out its proposed approach to AI regulation that is context-based, proportionate and adaptable, drawing on the expertise of regulators and encouraging them to consider AI in their own sectors. A central risk function will undertake horizon scanning to identify new and emerging AI risks.The government has also committed an initial £100 million to set up the Foundation Model Taskforce to build UK capabilities in foundation models and leverage our existing strengths, and be a global standard bearer for AI safety.The UK is well positioned to lead the world in AI safety. We have announced plans to host a global AI safety summit later this year to convene leading nations, industry and academia to drive targeted, rapid international action to guarantee safety and security at the frontier of this technology.

Life Sciences: West Midlands

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what fiscal steps she is taking to support the life sciences sector in the West Midlands.

George Freeman: The call for proposals for up to £38m biomanufacturing fund and £250m LIFTS initiative are open UK-wide. Additionally, funding for skills and regulations will benefit companies across the UK and £121 million for clinical trials will support the delivery of clinical trials across England. With 66% of the sector employed outside London and South-East, these UK wide initiatives will benefit all regions. At least £9.4m has been awarded to Birmingham for the Mental Health Mission, to set up the Midlands Translational Research Centre demonstrator site. Funding will be used to support research and novel treatments for mental health conditions.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Disability

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of her Department's commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.

George Freeman: In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.The former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and former Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport had two actions included in the National Disability Strategy that would now fall within the remit of Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). These included:● Challenge UKRI and other research stakeholders to use future innovation challenges to accelerate innovation in assistive technologies; and● Explore how to improve accessibility of private sector websites. These actions are ongoing and have not yet been fully implemented.We remain fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, DSIT will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer.Ahead of this, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.

Horizon Europe

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether it her Department's policy to extend the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme if the UK has not received association status with Horizon Europe by September 2023.

George Freeman: The Government’s priority remains to support the UK R&D sector. The Horizon Europe Guarantee provides certainty to UK researchers and business in all scenarios and will be kept under review going forwards.

Innovate UK

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent steps Innovate UK have taken to promote collaboration and networking within regions; and how it will measure the success of this work.

George Freeman: UKRI is delivering place-based funding opportunities, such as Local Policy Innovation Partnerships and the Strength in Places Fund, to deliver economic, social, and cultural benefits from research and innovation to all UK citizens to support levelling up. Innovate UK’s Innovation Accelerators and Launchpad programmes, drive cluster development and support collaboration and networking. In each Launchpad (Tees Valley and Liverpool City Region), Innovate UK will invest up to £7.5 million for business-led innovation projects and wrap-around support. This supports our ambition for more places in the UK to host world-leading and globally connected innovation clusters, creating more jobs, productivity and growth.

Department for Education

School Teachers' Review Body

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has received the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body's 33rd report.

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish the School Teachers’ Review Body 33rd report.

Nick Gibb: As part of the normal pay round process, the independent School Teachers’ Review Body has submitted its report and recommendations to the Government on teacher pay for 2023/24. The Department is considering the recommendations and will publish the response and the report in the usual way, in due course.

Schools: Finance

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the real-terms level of core funding for schools in each year since 2010 using 2010 as the base year.

Nick Gibb: The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all pupils and has provided significant funding for education to achieve that.The Autumn Statement 2022 announced additional investment of £2 billion in each of 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. That is on top of the £4 billion, year on year increase provided in 2022/23, an increase of £7.5 billion, or over 15%, in just two years.This additional funding will enable head teachers to continue to invest in the areas that positively impact educational attainment, including high quality teaching and targeted support to the pupils who need it most. It will also help schools to manage higher costs, including higher energy bills and staff pay awards.Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in 2024/25. This is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil, as measured by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.Information on funding for schools, in real terms, is available through the Department’s published data at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-funding-statistics. This sets out that that when adjusted for inflation, funding per pupil was broadly flat between 2010/11 and 2015/16 at around £6,700 in 2022/23 prices. It then fell by 3.8% over 2016/17 and 2017/18, but subsequently increased by 1.3% over 2018/19 and 2019/20. Since then, funding has increased by 10.3% over the course of the following four years, reaching £7,220 in 2023/24 (in 2022/23 prices).

Children: Food Poverty

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to prevent hunger among children whose families are subject to the two-child benefit cap during the school summer holidays.

Nick Gibb: The Department is providing over £200 million of funding per year for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which provides food and activities for disadvantaged children in England for four weeks during summer, and one week each at Christmas and Easter. The programme provides heathy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low income families, benefiting their health, wellbeing and education. Over summer 2022, the HAF programme reached around 600,000 children across England, including 475,000 children eligible for free school meals across England. As in previous years, Local Authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children who are not in receipt of benefits related free school meals but who the Local Authority believe could benefit from the HAF programme, such as other vulnerable children. This could include, where appropriate, providing places at HAF clubs that support working families.For those who require extra support, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including the Barnett formula impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England in the next financial year. This is in addition to funding already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. In England this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which Local Authorities will use to help households with the cost of essentials.Overall, the Government is providing total support of over £94 billion over 2022/23 and 2023/24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of living.

Pupils: Absenteeism

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of children on the roll of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools who have been absent for four weeks or longer.

Nick Gibb: Data on absence and attendance are collected via two sources. The School Census collects data on total termly absence only and does not collect dates or continuous periods of absence. It does not collect data on whether pupils were absent for a period of four weeks or longer. It collects data on proportion of absence over a term or year. Information on absence is also collected via data submitted to the Department by participating schools on a daily basis. The information requested is not readily available from this source and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Special Educational Needs

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new special schools have been opened since 1 July 2020.

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school places have been created for pupils with SEND in special schools that have newly opened since 1 July 2020.

Claire Coutinho: Since 1 July 2020, 49 new special free schools have opened, creating a capacity of over 4,900 new places when full.A further 49 special free schools are working towards opening.The department is also currently receiving applications to run a further 33 special free schools and expect to announce successful trusts in January 2024.

STEM Subjects: Education

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy for future need of the number of current and projected students studying STEM subjects.

Robert Halfon: Science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) skills are in demand by employers across the country, and such demand is growing. The department is investing in STEM education at all levels to ensure people have access to high-quality STEM teaching and can access STEM career opportunities to meet current and future demand. The number of students studying STEM subjects is already growing. Between 2019 and 2022, there was a 9% increase in the number of UK students accepted onto full-time undergraduate STEM courses[1] in the UK, with uptake of Computer Science degrees among the fastest growing.Employers have designed over 360 high-quality apprenticeship standards in STEM sectors, including over 100 at levels 6 and 7, to support individuals in England looking to start, or progress, in a career in STEM. 33% of all apprenticeship starts in the first half of 2022/23 academic year have been in STEM. The department is increasing investment in apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support more of these high-quality opportunities.The department’s Unit for Future Skills (UFS) is working to improve the quality of jobs and skills data, which will support a better understanding of current skill mismatches and future demand across key sectors, including those related to STEM. As part of cross-government work to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030, the UFS is developing a Skills Dashboard to understand the supply and demand of science and technology skills for priority technologies.[1] UCAS data 2019 and 2022.

UTC Portsmouth

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to announce whether UTC Portsmouth's bid to expand into Southampton has been successful.

Robert Halfon: This free school application wave is prioritising applications for new schools and university technical colleges in areas where they are most needed, both in terms of the demand for additional places, and where they will have biggest impact on improving outcomes.The department is considering all applications carefully and will announce successful proposals in due course.

STEM Subjects: Education

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to attract foreign students to study STEM subjects.

Robert Halfon: As part of the UK Science and Technology Framework, a cross-government strategy which aims to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030, the department is committed to establishing a competitive advantage in attracting international talent to the UK. Details from the Framework on attracting talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-science-and-technology-framework/the-uk-science-and-technology-framework#talent-and-skills.The UK higher education (HE) sector has been successful for two years running in delivering on the government’s ambition, set out in our International Education Strategy, of hosting at least 600,000 students per year by 2030, which includes many international students studying STEM subjects.Our offer to international students, including those wishing to study STEM subjects, is extremely competitive. With our world class universities that excel in both teaching and research, the department is committed to ensuring the UK remains a destination of choice for international students from across the globe.International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK’s HE sector, which is beneficial for our universities and delivers growth at home.

Teachers: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers in (i) Enfield North constituency and (ii) Enfield.

Nick Gibb: There are now over 468,000 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state-funded schools in England, which is an increase of 2,800 (less than 1%) since last year, and an increase of 27,000 (6%) since 2010. This makes it the highest FTE of teachers since the School Workforce Census began in 2010.The Department’s reforms are aimed at increasing teacher recruitment and at ensuring teachers across England stay and thrive in the profession.The Department announced a financial incentives package worth up to £181 million for those starting initial teacher training (ITT) in the 2023/24 academic year. The Department is providing bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000 to encourage trainees to apply to train in key secondary subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computing.The Government remains committed to delivering £30,000 starting salaries to attract talented people to teaching.To support retention across all areas, the Department has worked with the education sector and published a range of resources to help address staff workload and wellbeing. This includes the published workload reduction toolkit, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-workload-reduction-toolkit, and the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter. More than 2,600 schools have signed up to the Charter so far.

Autism: Employment

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to collaborate with special educational needs and disability organisations on improving the (a) employability and (b) earning potential of people with Autism.

Claire Coutinho: The department regularly meets with a range of Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and autism organisations on a wide range of education policy issues that impact on autistic children and young people, including preparation for adulthood and employment.Improving joined-up support is central to our proposed SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) reforms and the cross-government Autism strategy, which recognises the progress made as well as the challenges that remain for reducing inequalities for autistic people of all ages, including access to and experiences of employment.More information on the SEND and AP reforms, and the cross-government Autism strategy, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-and-alternative-provision-improvement-plan, and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-strategy-for-autistic-children-young-people-and-adults-2021-to-2026/the-national-strategy-for-autistic-children-young-people-and-adults-2021-to-2026.The department and the Department of Health and Social Care have established a national Executive Group to monitor the timely delivery of actions for the Autism strategy, which reports directly into myself and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Care, at a bi-annual accountability meeting. This group includes SEND and autism organisation representatives, who feedback their reflections and experiences to the Ministers. The group most recently met on 20 June 2023.Additionally, in April 2023 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced a review, led by Sir Robert Buckland MP and supported by the charity Autistica, that will explore how employers recruit, retain, and develop autistic people. The department is working closely with DWP on this, prioritising the engagement of schools, colleges and voluntary organisations.

Childcare: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure the availability of high-quality childcare in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) Enfield.

Claire Coutinho: The department is determined to support as many families as possible with access to high-quality, affordable childcare. This is why the Spring Budget 2023 announced significant new investments to expand the free early education entitlements from 2024/25, together with uplifts in 2023/24 and 2024/25 for the existing entitlement offers.Eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of childcare per week, for 38 weeks of the year, from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school.The government is committed to ensuring that every child in an early years setting, regardless of their background or any additional needs they may have, receives high-quality education and care.Access to high-quality childcare ensures children and families can fulfil their potential, helping children to learn in their earliest years, and supporting a functioning economy by enabling parents to work.The department knows that children are accessing high-quality childcare. As of August 2022, 96% of providers on the Early Years Register were rated Good or Outstanding, up from 74% in 2012.Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the early education and childcare statutory guidance for local authorities highlights that local authorities are required to report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report available and accessible to parents.The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Land

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that trail hunting on his Department's land complies with the Hunting Act 2004.

Mr Ben Wallace: To hunt on my Department’s land, an organisation must have a recognised governing body. All persons participating in a hunt must also be members of such an organisation. The organisation must also hold a Ministry of Defence issued licence, the terms of which clearly state that only trail hunting carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Act are permitted.

Ukraine: Armed Conflict

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the war in Ukraine.

Mr Ben Wallace: The UK Government is dedicated to supporting Ukraine defend its sovereignty in the face of Russia’s illegal invasion. A key element of our response is being agile in our support as the conflict changes and strands of work such as training or equipment donation are constantly assessed to deliver this goal. We continue to enable and adapt support from across the world to meet Ukraine’s current and future requirements.

Indo-Pacific Region: Defence

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support the UK's strategic commitments in the Indo-Pacific region.

James Heappey: Defence is an essential part of the Indo-Pacific Tilt, which was set out in the 2021 Integrated Review (IR) Refresh. Since IR21, the UK has participated in at least 50 exercises in the region, spanning land operations in Ex VIGILANT ISLES, to operations in the air domain as part of the 17 nation Ex PITCH BLACK in Australia. HMS SPEY and HMS TAMAR are also now permanently in the region, the first such permanent presence in more than 25 years. We are also developing capability partnerships, including AUKUS and GCAP and supporting UK prosperity by strengthening defence exports.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to issue medals for nuclear test veterans before the Remembrance Sunday in November 2023.

Dr Andrew Murrison: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 June 2023 to Question 189445 to the hon. Member for Luton South (Ms Hopkins).Veterans: Radiation Exposure (docx, 17.9KB)

Armed Forces: Housing

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation in meeting the needs of injured veterans when adapting service accommodation.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) provides additional needs and disability adaptations; these can vary from minor adaptations such as a grab rail, to complex works such as ramping, or through-floor lifts. Most adaptations are undertaken on Service Family Accomodation (SFA) and relate to medical needs of family members. In 2022-23, work was carried out to 166 SFA. However, the provision also exists for DIO to deliver adaptations to privately owned homes for veterans with significant injuries or other medical conditions where required.

Armed Forces: Cost of Living

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support armed forces personnel with increases in the cost of living.

Dr Andrew Murrison: We have introduced a full range of measures to support our people coping with the cost of living, including capping subsidised accommodation charge increases to 1%; increasing travel allowances by 7% and over 32,000 Service personnel have received a Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOCT) rebate of £150. The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) also delivered a £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households, to help with energy bills and families can save around £3,400 per child per year through our wraparound childcare.

Ministry of Defence: Ministers' Private Offices

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff work in the Private Office of the Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families.

Dr Andrew Murrison: I can confirm that there are four positions within my Private Office. There are currently three filled and one vacancy which has been advertised.

Armed Forces: Pay

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of pay for the armed forces’ (a) morale and (b) recruitment.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The motivations of individuals choosing to join or remain in the Armed Forces are unique to each person and will be influenced by several considerations. Pay forms part of a wider remuneration package which includes a non-contributory pension, subsidised accommodation, wraparound childcare, incremental pay, and a range of allowances on top of basic salary. The non-financial aspects of the offer are also highly valued. Looking forward, we received the latest report from the independent Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body (AFPRB) on 26 May. We will be publishing it and announcing our response to their recommendations before the Summer Recess.

Veterans: Employment

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps Veterans UK is taking to support veterans into employment.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Within Veterans UK our Veterans Welfare and Defence Transition Services can facilitate access to the most appropriate sources of assistance for Veterans seeking employment support which may include active referrals to the MOD’s Career Transition Partnership, the Department of Work and Pensions or an appropriate charity provider. The Career Transition Partnership, which has helped over 300,000 Service leavers make their move into civilian life, provides up to four years of resettlement and employment support to Service personnel, both pre and post discharge.

Armed Forces: Housing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 20 June 2023, HCWS867, on Military Accommodation: Safety Inspections, when officials in his Department first became aware that 795 homes occupied by service families did not have valid gas certificates.

James Cartlidge: There were 795 occupied homes overdue Landlord’s Gas Safety Inspections (LGSIs) on Wednesday 21 June. This number continues to reduce each day and currently stands, as of Sunday 25 June, at 555.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy applications have been (a) rejected and (b) accepted as of 21 June 2023; and of those accepted how many are in (i) Afghanistan, (ii) Islamabad and (iii) the UK.

James Heappey: As of 21 June 2023, 36,348 ARAP applications have been refused while 3,470 applications have been deemed eligible. Of these, approximately 220 principal applicants remain in Afghanistan, while 271 are in Islamabad. We have relocated 2,684 principal applicants to safety in the UK - over 12,200 people in total including family members. The remainder are in locations other than those listed in the hon. Member's question.

Republic of Ireland: Airspace

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has an agreement in place with the Republic of Ireland on air defence cover.

James Heappey: I am withholding any response to questions on other nation's sovereign airspace access, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.

Defence: Buildings

Christian Wakeford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association on the future of Castle Armoury in Bury.

James Cartlidge: The Army has recently received a proposal from the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) which it looks forward to discussing further with the RFCA and partners across Defence. To date, the Army has considered that Castle Armoury will still be required in the future for training.

Armed Forces

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2023 to Question 188662 on F-35 Aircraft: Crew, for what reason concerns over the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces did not apply to his answer to Question 209 at the meeting of the Defence Select Committee of 2 November 2022 on the US, UK and NATO, HC 184.

James Cartlidge: As any given capability reaches the point where it is regularly in the hands of the frontline, the risk that sharing Force Growth Factors that might be of interest to adversaries increases. Consequently, having reviewed the operational capability that the frontline Lightning F-35 Force is now delivering, we will in future no longer place in public record the pilot numbers and other operational metrics. This is in line with other established frontline fleets.

Armed Forces: Housing

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many homes occupied by families from (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks do not have up to date gas safety certificates.

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many homes occupied by families from (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks do not have up to date electrical safety certificates.

James Cartlidge: The following table provides a breakdown of occupied Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks (Ternhill), with expired Gas Safety Certificates and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR):  Expired Gas Safety CertificateExpired Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)Total number of occupied SFARAF Cosford578380RAF Shawbury337131Clive Barracks (Ternhill)24196 Engineers have attended the 10 homes with expired Gas Safety Certificates at least once, with the majority attended more than once, however, the contractor has been unable to gain access or confirm an appointment with all the families. It remains a top priority to gain access to these homes. Appointments to complete the EICRs for the 156 occupied SFA at these sites have been made and should be carried out by the end of August 2023. A number of factors have led to the EICR backlog accumulating, for example, supply chain resource problems, and legislation has reduced the currency of existing electrical safety certificates from 10 years to five, increasing the frequency of the checks. The safety of our personnel and their families is our highest priority. It is unacceptable for any family to be living in a home without the necessary checks.

Armed Forces: Housing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 20 June 2023, HCWS867, on Military Accommodation: Safety Inspections, of the 795 homes occupied by service families without valid gas certificates, how many of those certificates expired (a) one month, (b) three months, (c) six months and (d) 12 months ago.

James Cartlidge: As at 20 June 2023, there were 795 homes currently occupied by Service families, without valid gas certificates. As at 22 June 2023, this number has reduced by 164 to 631. The table below shows how many of the remaining 631 homes have certificates that expired (a) one month, (b) three months, (c) six months and (d) 12 months ago: Expired Landlord Gas Safety Inspections Certificates as at 22 June 2023Time LineAmountTOTALExpired - One Month118631Expired – Three Months120Expired - Six Months393Expired – Twelve Months0

Air Force: Electric Vehicles

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the Royal Air Force has made on electrification of its civilian vehicle fleet.

James Cartlidge: Of the RAF's civilian vehicles 4.2% are currently fully electric and 4.6% are plug-in Hybrid. As current vehicles require replacement, they are replaced with an electric vehicle.

Armed Forces: Housing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's written statement of 20 June on Military Accommodation: Safety Inspections, HCWS867, how much performance credit for fixed and variable profit for the service period has been withheld from contractors because of the expiry of valid gas certificates.

James Cartlidge: The Department has exercised to the fullest extent its contractual rights to withhold fixed and variable profit in respect of the delivery of statutory inspections, the service category under which gas safety inspections fall. Information regarding the specific amount is being withheld and cannot be provided, as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Armed Forces: Housing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 20 June 2023, HCWS867, on Military Accommodation: Safety Inspections, how many and what proportion of the 795 homes occupied by service families are without valid gas certificates because contractors have missed appointments.

James Cartlidge: The safety of our personnel and their families is our highest priority, and it is unacceptable for any family to be living in a home without the necessary checks. As of 20 June 2023, 795 occupied Service Family Accommodation were without valid gas certificates. Of those 795 SFA, 115 appointments were not attended (missed) by contractors as originally planned. Appointments have been rebooked with Service families to complete the inspections before the end of June. All 115 families have now received compensation for the missed appointments. The Department recognises the frustration this will have caused families and have impressed on their suppliers the need for clear communication and strong control over the activities of their sub-contractors to avoid such instances wherever possible.

LGBT Veterans Independent Review

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2023 to Question 187587 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, whether he plans to publish the report and recommendations of that Review in full.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2023 to Question 187587 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, on what date he received the report and recommendations of that Review..

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Government was presented with a hard copy of the report on16 May 2023 ahead of the final version, which was formatted for printing, being received on the 6 June 2023. Defence is committed to publishing the report and responding in full in due course after giving the report due consideration, in accordance with the terms of reference.

Department for Business and Trade

Chocolate: Exports

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the inclusion of cocoa and milk products on the list of prohibited goods by UK postal carriers on small chocolate producers exporting to the EU.

Nigel Huddleston: The Government has no current plans to make an assessment of impacts of such decisions on small chocolate producers. We would, however, welcome any further information and evidence from small chocolate producers on this concern.

Raw Materials: Supply Chains

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the European Critical Raw Materials Act on the security of the UK's supply of critical raw minerals.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The UK welcomes the publication of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act as an important step for EU Member States to increase the diversity, security, and sustainability of these essential supply chains. It is in our collective interests to ensure that supplies of critical minerals are not geographically concentrated and that the overall supply of critical minerals is robust and able to meet demands. We are considering the implications of the Act for UK industries and how the UK might work with our European partners.In March, we published a Critical Minerals Refresh which sets out our approach to promoting resilience in the UK’s critical minerals supply chains.

Pregnancy: Dismissal

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of legislation protecting pregnant women from dismissal; and if she will take legislative steps to increase penalties on employers who dismiss staff while pregnant or on maternity leave.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government was pleased to support the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act, which received Royal Assent on 24 May. The ensuing regulations will provide additional redundancy protection from the point a woman tells her employer she is pregnant, through to 18 months after the child is born. The Government continues to work with the Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board to address these issues, and to improve the available guidance so women understand their rights and employers understand their responsibilities

Small Businesses: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many small businesses opened in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) the London Borough of Enfield in the last (i) three, (ii) six, (iii) 12 and (iv) 24 months.

Kevin Hollinrake: The latest available data shows that at the end of March 2023 in the London Borough of Enfield there were:- 560 business births in the last three months;- 985 business births in the last six months;- 2,035 business births in the last 12 months; and- 4,720 business births in the last 24 months. (ONS, Business demography, Quarterly experimental statistics, Low-level geographic breakdown, UK, Q1 2023)

Small Businesses: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many small businesses went bankrupt in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) the London Borough of Enfield in the last (i) three, (ii) six, (iii) 12 and (iv) 24 months.

Kevin Hollinrake: Information on company insolvencies is sourced from Companies House, which does not hold information on the size of companies or all types of businesses. Therefore, we cannot provide specific numbers of small business failures. Furthermore, the registered office address for a company may not be its trading location, and is often the address of the appointed Insolvency Practitioner handling the case. Subject to these caveats, estimated company insolvencies in Enfield North and Enfield in the periods up to 31 May 2023 were:PeriodEnfield North ConstituencyEnfield Borough [1]3 Months71066 Months1619112 Months3640224 Months59756[1] 685 of the 756 company insolvencies registered in Enfield Borough have the same postcode, which is the location of an insolvency practitioner firm. Many of these companies may not have traded in Enfield Borough prior to insolvency. Numbers of trader (self-employed) bankruptcies to 31 March 2023 (the latest date for which data is held) were:PeriodEnfield North ConstituencyEnfield Borough3 Months036 Months1512 Months1824 Months718

Royal Mail: Standards

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will hold discussions with Royal Mail on offering a letter delivery service six days a week.

Kevin Hollinrake: Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal service provider. The Government currently has no plans to change the minimum requirements of the universal postal service which are set out in the Postal Services Act 2011, including the provision of a letter delivery service six days a week.

Postal Services: Costs

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has had recent discussions with Ofcom on the affordability of 1st class postal products.

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had discussions with Ofcom on monitoring whether Royal Mail is meeting its universal service obligation.

Kevin Hollinrake: Ministers and officials meet with Ofcom regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the regulatory authority for the postal sector, including the overall provision of the universal service obligation.

Trade Unions: Electronic Voting

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to bring forward legislative proposals to permit the use of electronic balloting by trade unions.

Kevin Hollinrake: Before responding to the Knight Review recommendations on electronic balloting for trade union ballots, the government was required by Section 4 of the Trade Union Act 2016 to consult relevant organisations, including professionals from expert associations, to seek their advice and recommendations. We have done this and are now finalising our consideration of Sir Ken’s recommendations before we issue our response.

Chemicals and Technology: Environment Protection

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department plans to take to encourage investment in (a) new green technology and (b) chemical recycling.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government works with public finance institutions such as UK Infrastructure Bank, British Business Bank, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Export Credit Agency and UK Export Finance, to support investment in green technologies. Chemical recycling covers a range of emerging technologies that could potentially offer a complementary recycling route for plastics where mechanical recycling is impractical or uneconomic. The Government has funded innovative demonstrator projects, including on chemical recycling, through UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging programme. In April of this year HM Treasury announced plans to consult on whether and how chemically recycled content could be accounted for in the Plastics Packaging Tax using a mass balance chain of custody model.

Minerals: Mining

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact on levels of land based extraction of critical minerals of emerging green industries.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Within the Critical Minerals Strategy, we are seeking to maximise what the UK can produce domestically, where viable for businesses and where it works for communities and our natural environment. As part of this effort, we commissioned an assessment of the UK’s geological potential for critical mineral extraction. In April this year, the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre published its report on “Potential for Critical Raw Material Prospectivity in the UK”, which highlighted the UK’s potential to produce a variety of critical minerals, including lithium – a key ingredient of electric vehicles. It is a preliminary assessment, and the Government is working with the British Geological Survey to understand next steps.

Minimum Wage

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled More than 200 companies named for not paying staff minimum wage, published on 21 June 2023, how many employers were (a) named and (b) fined; how many people received pay arrears; and what amount of wages were recovered as a result of unpaid trial shifts at the outset of employment.

Kevin Hollinrake: In the latest naming round, 202 employers were named for failing to pay almost £5 million to 63,000 workers. The employers were also ordered to pay nearly £7 million in penalties. Unpaid working time, which can include unpaid trial shifts, was a factor in 39% of these cases. Unpaid working time can arise for a number of reasons, outlined in our recently published educational bulletin, which can be found here: National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme R19 Educational Bulletin.

Investment: Codes of Practice

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of updating the UK Stewardship Code 2020 to reflect the actions of signatories after it has been signed.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen the UK Stewardship Code 2020.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) sets the UK Stewardship Code and revised it in 2020 to promote better reporting on stewardship outcomes. Research in 2022 found strong evidence of positive changes in stewardship practice under the revised Code. Signatories to the Code have to submit a new report each year to maintain their signatory status. The FRC’s terms and conditions for the Stewardship Code outline the circumstances in which the FRC may remove an organisation from the list of signatories, including provision of information which is later discovered to be false or inaccurate, or investigation by a regulatory body. From this autumn, the FRC plans to work with the Financial Conduct Authority, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Pensions Regulator to review the regulatory framework for stewardship, including the operation of the Stewardship Code. The review will assess how far the Code is creating a market for effective stewardship and the need for any further regulation in this area.

Investment: Codes of Practice

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade,  what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the application by Vanguard Asset Management Ltd to be admitted to the UK Stewardship Code 2020; and whether she has had discussions with the Financial Reporting Council on this issue.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) sets the UK Stewardship Code and has an independent and robust process to ensure that each applicant seeking to or remain a Code signatory has sufficiently demonstrated how they have applied the Principles of the Code. As part of this, signatories must report annually on how they have followed the Code and these reports are reviewed by the FRC. The FRC does not comment on individual applicants or signatories to the Stewardship Code.

Foreign Investment in UK: Recycling

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the review into attracting foreign direct investment will consider the potential merits of attracting investment into domestic recycling infrastructure.

Nigel Huddleston: Lord Harrington’s review into attracting foreign direct investment is primarily, though not exclusively, focused on the Chancellor’s five key growth sectors. One of the key growth sectors is Green Industries, and the review will consider actions to improve investment across Green Industries, including recycling infrastructure.

Foreign Investment in UK: Recycling

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the review into the Government’s approach to attracting foreign direct investment led by Lord Harrington of Watford will consider the Government’s approach to attracting new foreign direct investment into recycling infrastructure.

Nigel Huddleston: Lord Harrington’s review into attracting foreign direct investment is primarily, though not exclusively, focused on the Chancellor’s five key growth sectors. One of the key growth sectors is Green Industries, and the review will consider actions to improve investment across Green Industries, including recycling infrastructure.

Chemicals: Recycling

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will meet representatives of the chemical recycling industry.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: We recognise the important role chemical recycling plays in driving the circular economy, which is why we have provided ReNew ELP with £4.4 million through the Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge to construct a commercial scale chemical recycling plant. I have met with the chemicals sector on this important topic previously and I would be pleased to meet representatives of the chemical recycling industry in the future.

Chemicals and Technology: Environment Protection

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to encourage investment in (a) chemical recycling and (b) other new green technology.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Chemical recycling covers a range of emerging technologies that could potentially offer a complementary recycling route for plastics where mechanical recycling is impractical or uneconomic. The Government has funded innovative demonstrator projects, including on chemical recycling, through UK Research and Innovation’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging programme. In April of this year HM Treasury announced plans to consult on whether and how chemically recycled content could be accounted for in the Plastics Packaging Tax using a mass balance chain of custody model. The Government works with public finance institutions such as UK Infrastructure Bank, British Business Bank, UK Research and Innovation, Export Credit Agency and UK Export Finance, to support investment in green technologies.

Minimum Wage: Apprentices

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make it her policy to bring the National Minimum Wage Apprentice Rate in line with the National Minimum Wage.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Apprentice National Minimum Wage rate is set to acknowledge the costs to employers and the benefits to young people in apprenticeships. The Apprentice rate increased by 9.7% to £5.28 in April 2023. This increase maintains parity with the Under 18 National Minimum Wage rate.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

China: Genomics

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to raise with the Chinese Government the potential risks to UK health and genetic data of (a) BGI Group and (b) other Chinese genomics firms.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We continually monitor threats to our data and will not hesitate to take action if necessary to protect our national security. We expect all firms to fully comply with UK privacy laws. Those which do not may be investigated and subject to enforcement action. We have also strengthened measures to prevent the transfer of assets or technology that could pose national security risks. This includes upgrading our export control regime and Military End Use Control and introducing the National Security and Investment Act. As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is undertaking a full programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world.

Evan Gershkovich

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to support the campaign to free Evan Gershkovich.

Leo Docherty: Evan Gershkovich's arrest further demonstrates Russia's lack of media freedom, and the UK calls for his immediate release. Mr Gershkovich is a US national and we will continue to support the US, who lead on consular support to him, with efforts to secure his release. On 17 April, the Foreign Secretary criticised Mr Gershkovich's arrest and said it showed a 'complete disregard for media freedom'. The UK has co-signed several statements as part of the Media Freedom Coalition, most recently on World Press Freedom Day, condemning Mr Gershkovich's detention. We have also called for Mr Gershkovich's release at the UN General Assembly.

Finland: NATO

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to mark Finland's accession to NATO.

Leo Docherty: Finland is one of our closest allies and partners. When Finland acceded to NATO on 4 April, the Foreign Secretary was pleased to congratulate the Finnish Foreign Minister in person in Brussels. The UK Government continues to work with Finnish counterparts to facilitate their integration into NATO.

Russia: Apple and Google

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with (a) Google and (b) Apple on the ability of users to download from their app stores (i) Telegram and (ii) other apps which could be used to promote (A) Russian propaganda and (B) posts by people who have been sanctioned.

Leo Docherty: Ministers meet regularly with representatives from the tech sector. There are no restrictions on users downloading legal apps such as Telegram. However, the government has sanctioned the parent companies of Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik, so that online services, including Telegram, are not permitted to host content from these sanctioned entities for UK users to view.

Pavel Durov and Telegram: Sanctions

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to sanction (a) Telegram and (b) Pavel Durov.

Leo Docherty: We do not comment on future designations, as to do so could reduce their impact.

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the release of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Leo Docherty: We condemn the politically motivated sentencing of Vladimir Kara-Murza, and continue to call for his release. On the day of Mr Kara-Murza's sentencing, we summoned the Russian Ambassador to the FCDO and pressed him on Mr Kara-Murza's release and respect of his fundamental human rights. We have maintained pressure on Russia, sanctioning 5 individuals relating to Mr Kara-Murza's detention and treatment in April. We will continue to raise Mr. Kara-Murza's case with the Russian authorities both in London and Moscow, and call for his release in multilateral fora, as the Foreign Secretary did before the UN Human Rights Council in February.

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking in its role as penholder for the Colombian peace process in the UN Security Council to maintain the international community’s support for implementation of that country’s peace accords.

David Rutley: The UK has been a leading international advocate of Colombia's peace process. Supporting the Colombian Government's commitment to implement the 2016 Peace Accords remains an important priority. We are the second largest UN Trust Fund donor, and work with fellow UN Security Council members to support the peace process in Colombia. During the most recent Security Council meeting on Colombia in April, Security Council members reiterated their unanimous and full support for the peace process in Colombia.

Colombia: Police

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Colombian government on the reforms to the National Police proposed by the Colombian President; and what steps he has taken to raise concerns of human rights organisations over these reforms.

David Rutley: Since 2015, the UK has committed £80 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) to support the peace process and improve stability and security in Colombia. As part of the CSSF funding in Colombia, the UK launched a three-year, £2.1 million Police Innovations for Stabilisation in Colombia Programme (SCIP) in 2020, which is helping support the transformation of the Colombian National Police.The UK's Global Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, met with civil society organisations and the Colombian Government to discuss the importance of civil society participation in peace and security issues during her visit to Colombia in April.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Alternative Fuel Payments: Carmarthenshire

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of people in Carmarthenshire living in areas supplied by mains gas who were eligible for the Alternative Fuel Payment but who have not applied for their entitlement.

Amanda Solloway: The information requested is not held centrally. The Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) scheme delivered payments of £200 to households who use alternative fuels such as heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas, coal or biomass, helping around 2 million off-gas-grid households to meet their energy costs. The scheme particularly supported households in rural areas that are not connected to the gas grid. Over 85% of eligible households received the payment automatically via their electricity supplier during February, and a small proportion of households needed to apply for the AFP, for example when households in their local area predominantly use electricity or mains gas for their heating.

Energy Intensive Industries: Energy Bills Discount Scheme

Jack Brereton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment for the potential effect of the (a) energy intensity test and (b) trade intensity test for sectoral qualification to the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) Scheme on energy-intensive enterprises which are (i) within sectoral codes that meet one but not both of the tests and (ii) able to meet both tests as individual businesses but excluded from the ETII Scheme for falling outside of the qualifying sectoral codes; and if he will make a statement.

Amanda Solloway: The Energy Bill Relief Scheme review considered qualitative and quantitative evidence, and input from businesses and stakeholders on sectors that may be most affected by rising energy prices based on energy and trade intensity. Eligible sectors have to operate in the top 20% for energy intensity and top 40% for trade intensity. Standard Industrial Classification codes allowed Government to define a sector hierarchy, with energy and trade thresholds set to balance delivering targeted support at lower overall cost, while capturing a broad enough share of affected companies. Energy intensive sectors that are not significantly trade intensive will not be eligible for support. Some businesses are highly exposed to both energy prices and international competition and are unable to pass through or absorb these costs and without the subsidy there’s likely to be a competitive disadvantage.

Alternative Fuel Payments

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reopening the Alternative Fuels Payment scheme for people who live in mains gas areas and use an alternative fuel but have not yet claimed their payment.

Amanda Solloway: The AFP Alternative Fund was open to applications from 6 March to 31 May inclusive and the Government has no plans to re-open the scheme. The Government is continually reviewing the financial support it provides for the differing energy needs within its communities. This includes the Help for Households campaign that has numerous Cost of Living support schemes in 2023/2024. You can visit the Help for Households webpage on GOV.UK which outlines details of the support offered: https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk.

Mineworkers' Pension Scheme

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2022 to Question 88950 on Mineworkers' Pension Scheme, what estimate he has made of when the 2023 valuation of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and the calculation of that scheme’s surplus will be completed.

Graham Stuart: Based on previous valuations of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme, the Government anticipates the 2023 valuation process, including the calculation of any surplus, to be concluded during the summer of 2024.

Solar Power: Temperature

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of heatwaves on the (a) efficiency and (b) functioning of solar panels.

Graham Stuart: The Department has not made such an assessment.

Mineworkers' Pension Scheme

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many miners were recipients of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme in (a) Barnsley Central constituency and (b) nationally in May 2023.

Graham Stuart: There were 120,099 members of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme as of May 2023 of whom 2,576 live in the Barnsley Central constituency. The breakdown between those in receipt and those yet to receive their pension is not available at the constituency level.

Energy Bills Rebate: Low Incomes

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, was assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Energy Bill Support Scheme for people on low incomes.

Amanda Solloway: The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) GB delivered a £400 non-repayable government discount on electricity bills to all households with a domestic electricity meter, more than 28 million households in Great Britain. The Department will carry out an evaluation of the EBSS after scheme closure.

National Grid: Renewable Energy

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential role of (a) heat pumps, (b) EV charging points, (c) solar PV and (d) other low carbon technologies in offsetting the energy demand of new housing developments on the grid.

Andrew Bowie: Analysis from the Government’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan (2021) suggests that use of flexibility from low carbon technologies such as smart charging of electric vehicles and flexible heating systems could play a significant role in reducing peak demand. The Building Regulations will continue to set a performance-based standard rather than mandating or banning the use of any technologies. We expect heat pumps will become the primary heating technology for new homes under the Future Homes Standard. In the 2021 uplift we set the performance standards for new buildings at a level that means most new homes are likely to be built with solar panels.

Meters: Highlands of Scotland

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions her Department has had with energy providers on extending smart meter coverage in the Scottish Highlands.

Amanda Solloway: Today, the Data Communications Company (DCC) provides Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage for smart meters to at least 99.5% of premises across its ‘North’ region. The DCC also has a license obligation to explore solutions for increasing WAN coverage even further. It is currently developing a business case exploring such solutions, including an option for using already available internet-connected Consumer Access Devices to provide smart services. The consumer would need to have their own broadband connection and be prepared to enable the Consumer Access Device to utilise it. The Department expects to receive initial proposals from DCC shortly for review.

Civil Nuclear Constabulary

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what additional critical national infrastructure he plans for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary to protect in the Energy Bill.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the responsibilities of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary to include offshore wind infrastructure in (a) territorial waters and (b) the exclusive economic zone.

Andrew Bowie: Armed policing is used to protect only the most critical infrastructure. I am unable to comment on specific security measures at specific sites. The security measures at critical energy sites are implemented as a result of expert advice on the most effective measures that are proportionate to the threat and the type of infrastructure to be protected.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Drugs

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with HM Prison Service on intelligence operations to disrupt the supply of drugs.

Damian Hinds: Disrupting the supply of drugs into prisons is a key priority and we recognise that the harm that drugs and other illicit substances can create, destabilising the prison regime, fuelling violence and undermining our efforts to rehabilitate prisoners.We have regular conversations on supply disruption.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Birth Certificates

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether is Department plan to take steps to enable registrars to make a declaration of parentage on a birth certificate where one parent is deceased.

Mike Freer: The Government understands that it must be difficult for a surviving parent or family in these circumstances however there are no plans to take steps to enable registrars to make a declaration of parentage on a birth certificate where one parent is deceased. In the unfortunate circumstance of the death of a parent before the birth of a child, a person can apply for a declaration of parentage to the High Court or the family court. The court will decide whether to make a declaration that a person named in the application was the parent of the child. If such a declaration is made, the court will inform the Registrar General, who is then responsible for authorising the re-registration of the birth to include the name of the deceased parent.

Ministry of Justice: Staff

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place in the Library a copy of the inclusivity induction pack provided to all new employees in his Department.

Mike Freer: There is no single departmental inclusivity induction pack provided to all new employees. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) regularly host a corporate induction workshop which all new starters can attend, and information about induction into the MoJ is made available on the MoJ Intranet. This is supplemented with the online Civil Service Expectations training which includes specific learning outcomes relating to diversity and inclusion. In addition, all new employees receive an induction through their individual business areas where induction products are tailored to their delivery model.

Prisons: Drugs

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an estimate of the number of prison (a) officers and (b) staff that have been [arrested/charged/investigated] in relation to the supply of drugs in prisons in each year since 2010.

Damian Hinds: The vast majority of prison staff are hardworking and dedicated. A minority of staff engage in corrupt activity which is often as a result of conditioning and manipulation by prisoners.  Below is a table showing the breakdown of staff investigated from 2019 to June 2023 to date relating to the conveyance of drugs. Table 1YearCases where Officer InvestigatedCases where Non-Officer Investigated201939312020126712021225952022197712023 Jan-June9443  Below is a table showing the breakdown of staff arrested from 2019 to June 2023 to date relating to the conveyance of drugs. Table 2All data is for cases related to conveyance of drugsCases where Officer ArrestedCases where Non-Officer Arrested2019710202016152021192420222482023 Jan-June129 Below is a table showing the breakdown of staff charged from 2019 to June 2023 to date relating to the conveyance of drugs.Table 3All data is for cases related to conveyance of drugsCases where Officer Charged*Cases where Non-Officer Charged*2019002020752021782022952023 Jan-June10  Source: Linkspace Case Management System.   Notes:Linkspace is the Counter Corruption Unit’s (CCU) Case Management System used to record and track cases linked to corruption. Data provided by the Counter Corruption (CCU) have the following Caveats applied below;1) The new Counter Corruption Unit came into being in April 2019, with a new structure and a change to ways of working. During the initial transition period, and prior to the introduction of the new Case Management System, it is possible that not all arrests were being captured.2) Prior to April 2019, corruption in HMPPS was managed by the Corruption Prevention Unit(CPU). The CPU was a largely centralised unit focused on sanitising and disseminating allcorruption related intelligence to the Police, with an individual Regional CorruptionPrevention Manager (RCPM) in each geographical region offering advice and support toprisons in managing corruption, Hence data prior to April 2019 is not available.3) Data includes Non-Directly Employed Staff (public or private) as they provide a service on behalf of HMPPS.4)Officers ‘charged*’ is not an assured metric, the data below is likely very underrepresented given it is substantially lower than our CJS outcomes i.e., CJS sentences, court fines, conditional discharges etc over this period.5)The Investigations data is all operations opened on linkspace that relate to conveyance of drugs, for officers and non-officers. Some investigations are based off limited intelligence and many are unproven.

Prisoners' Release

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support his Department provides to prisoners who are released following imprisonment for public protection sentences; and whether that support is tailored to each prisoner.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to take steps to review the cases of people who are imprisoned under imprisonment for public protection sentences.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people who were given imprisonment for public protection sentences remain imprisoned.

Damian Hinds: All those serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence in the community on licence have an individual, bespoke risk management plan which outlines how they will be managed and supported. The Probation Service works with other statutory and community agencies to ensure the required support is in place, whether that be in relation to accommodation, employment or health needs. A probation officer will hold regular supervision sessions with the offender, to discuss progress and identify any further support needed. The IPP Action Plan, now fully reviewed and updated, will provide the best opportunities for those serving an IPP sentence in prison to progress towards a safe and sustainable future release and help those serving the IPP sentence on licence in the community to navigate the challenges they face and to work towards applying successfully, once eligible, to have their licence terminated. The Plan is accessible via the following link: Letter from the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on the Imprisonment for Public Protection Action Plan (parliament.uk). Data on the IPP population, including the number of those remaining is prison are routinely published as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.

Prisons: Staff

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison intelligence officers worked across the prison estate in each year since 2010.

Damian Hinds: The information requested is not held centrally as ‘Prison Intelligence Officer’ is not an existing role in HMPPS.

Prisons: Drugs

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what processes are in place to prevent drugs being smuggled into prisons by (a) staff, (b) offenders and (c) visitors.

Damian Hinds: In the Prisons Strategy White Paper, we committed to a zero-tolerance approach to crime in prisons. Our £100m Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons, was completed in March 2022. The programme included a range of security measures to reduce drug conveyance. This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. As of October 2022, we had recorded 28,626 positive indications, helping to tackle the supply of drugs into prisons. Airport-style Enhanced Gate Security has been deployed to 42 high-risk prison sites, implementing routine searching of staff and visitors through the use of drug dogs and metal detectors. We have also installed 76 baggage scanners at 45 high-risk prisons. To prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs such as psychoactive substances through the mail, we have deployed 95 new, next generation trace detection machines. The Security Investment Programme also funded the expansion of our Counter Corruption Unit. The priorities of this unit are to prevent staff from engaging in corruption, strengthen their professional integrity and pursue and punish corrupt staff.

Home Office

Asylum

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Audit Office’s Report on the Asylum and Protection Transformation Regime, published in June 2023, if she will take steps to implement the NAO’s recommendation on making asylum decisions.

Robert Jenrick: The NAO report into the Asylum & Protection Transformation Programme acknowledges the progress made across asylum caseworking and accommodation. The report suggested three recommendations for the programme to increase its chances of success, we are carefully considering all recommendations.

Emergencies: Powers of Entry

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review powers of entry into premises in the next 12 months; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving paramedics powers to force entry to homes in emergency calls.

Chris Philp: Neither the Home Office nor the Department for Health and Social Care is currently planning a review of powers of entry.Police officers have the power to enter a premises without a search warrant for the purpose of “saving life or limb” (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, section 17[1][e]). This can include responding to a health emergency, depending on the circumstances.

Social Media: Radicalism and Violence

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to prevent the promotion of (a) violence and (b) extremism on (i) Telegram and (ii) other online platforms.

Tom Tugendhat: The UK Government builds relationships with many tech companies to prevent the promotion of violence and terrorism online. This builds upon work by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit to notify tech companies about unlawful terrorism related content online for removal.We work closely with tech companies, including through multi-stakeholder organisations including the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, to encourage platform collaboration to remove unlawful terrorist content online. We have pressed companies to increase the use of technology to automate the detection and removal of terrorist content where possible.In addition, we have introduced ground-breaking legislation in the Online Safety Bill to establish duties on tech companies to keep their users, particularly children, safe.Given the pace at which terrorist content is disseminated, especially following an attack, and that terrorists use a wide range of platforms, it is critical that companies work together at pace, including by sharing information and supporting smaller companies to tackle exploitation of their platforms.

Freeports: Smuggling

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, (b) police forces, (c) the National Crime Agency, (d) HMRC and (e) other law enforcement agencies on the potential traffic of illicit and counterfeit goods through freeports.

Robert Jenrick: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has regular meetings with Ministerial colleagues across Government and other law enforcement agencies where all aspects of border security are discussed as needed.Measures are in place across all our borders and points of entry to tackle the importation of counterfeit or illicit goods. We continue to work closely with Intellectual Property (IP) Right’s Holders, HMRC and other agencies such as Trading Standards to ensure rigorous controls on goods across the UK.IP Right’s Holders can help protect their rights by making an Application for Action. This requests Border Force to detain goods suspected of infringing a range of rights, including trademarks, copyrights, design and patents.Freeports, in the same way as every other business in the UK, will have to adhere to the UK’s high regulatory standards with respect to security. Moreover, Freeports will be subject to an annual audit, by HMRC and Border Force, to make sure security measures continue to meet the high standards expected from Freeport operators to mitigate security risks across physical, personnel, and cyber domains.

Asylum: Applications

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications are awaiting approval; and what the average waiting time was for an asylum application in the latest period for which data is available.

Robert Jenrick: Information regarding how many asylum claims are awaiting a decision, broken down in terms of how many have been waiting for more or less than 6 months, until the end of March 2023, is published in the Asy_D03 tab of the ‘Asylum applications, decisions, and resettlement detailed datasets’ online. The Home Office is unable to state the average time taken to process asylum claims because this information is not routinely published and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Windrush Compensation Scheme: Reform

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her Department's policies of the report entitled Reforming the Windrush Compensation Scheme published by Justice in 2021.

Robert Jenrick: The victims of the Windrush scandal suffered terrible injustices, and this Government remains steadfast in our commitment to do everything in our power to right the wrongs. We are determined to ensure everyone who was affected receives every penny of the compensation to which they are entitled. We are making significant progress towards achieving this aim, and we have now paid or offered more than £72.5 million in compensation. Since its launch, the Home Office has continued to listen and respond to feedback from affected communities and stakeholders about how the Scheme operates and its accessibility. The changes we made to the Scheme in December 2020 and August 2022, mean people receive significantly more money more quickly. Last year we published redesigned claim forms and refreshed casework guidance, with the aim of reducing the time taken to process claims and improving individuals’ experiences of applying to the Scheme. We also made changes to the Homelessness category and created a new category, ‘Living Costs’, to compensate close family members for certain contributions to a primary claimant’s living costs. These significant and positive policy changes were made following consultation with claimants and stakeholders.

Migrant Workers: Territorial Waters

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national workers have (a) applied and (b) been granted permission to work in UK territorial waters under the Immigration (Offshore Worker Notification and Exemption from Control (Amendment)) Regulations 2023 from 12 April to 21 June 2023.

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national workers have (a) applied and (b) been granted permission to work on vessels servicing the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm under the Immigration (Offshore Worker Notification and Exemption from Control (Amendment)) Regulations 2023 from 12 April to 21 June 2023.

Robert Jenrick: These regulations do not provide anyone with permission to work in UK waters and all foreign nationals will need to apply for the appropriate permission to work under a points-based system immigration route before commencing work.

Asylum: Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2023 to Question 187651 on Asylum: Newcastle upon Tyne Central, what data her Department holds on the number of people awaiting a decision on their claim for refugee status in Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency; and whether this data includes the year of each asylum claim.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on claims awaiting a decision can be found in table Asy_D03 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’. Asy_D03 is not broken down by local authority therefore data for those living in Newcastle upon Tyne is not available and the data is also not broken down by year of asylum claim. The latest data relates to a snapshot as of 31 March 2023.

Illegal Migration Bill

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any ministerial directions have been issued on proposals in the Illegal Immigration Bill.

Robert Jenrick: No Ministerial Directions have been issued on proposals in the Illegal Migration Bill. All Ministerial Directions are published on https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-directions.

Asylum: Children

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2023 to Question 186685 on Asylum: Children, if her Department will monitor the number of (a) families and (b) individuals in housed in House in Multiple Occupancy properties.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office will not be placing unaccompanied minors in HMO properties and will continue to monitor the numbers of families and individuals placed in HMO properties in accordance with contractual requirements set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC).

Visas: Sudan

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds data on the number of outstanding family reunion cases that have documents held in the Khartoum Visa Application Centre as at 21 June 2023.

Robert Jenrick: We do not hold centralised data on this. However, where our records confirm that a customer’s passport is being held in the Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Khartoum and a decision has been made on their application, we have contacted all those customers, and offered them a letter confirming that their passport is securely stored and attaching a digital copy of their passport.

Demonstrations

Eddie Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 179976 on Demonstrations, what steps her Department is taking to ensure any public order guidance related to buffer zones is compatible with existing rights to freedom of (a) speech, (b) religion and (c) assembly.

Chris Philp: Ahead of the commencement of section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, the College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service are updating relevant public order guidance and training to reflect the inclusion of the offence of interference with access to or provision of abortion services.In accordance with human rights obligations, these organisations are required to consider the rights provided under Article 9 (freedom of thought, religion and belief), Article 10 (freedom of expression) and Article 11 (freedom of association and assembly) of the European Convention on Human Rights, recognising that they are qualified and can sometimes be infringed upon to uphold other rights.

Animal Welfare: Dogs

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect the welfare of beagles bred for sale to animal testing facilities.

Tom Tugendhat: The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides protections for animals bred in the UK for use in scientific procedures.All establishments licensed to breed protected animals under ASPA are required to comply with the published Code of Practice, which sets out standards for the appropriate care and accommodation of animals, including dogs.

Department for Transport

Aviation: Security

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the limits on the volume of liquid passengers may take onto a flight.

Jesse Norman: The UK has among the highest aviation security standards in the world. UK airports are currently upgrading their security equipment, which is expected to offer the opportunity for passengers to be able carry larger volumes of liquids when travelling.

Transport: Finance

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to launch additional rounds of recovery funding through the Local Transport Fund.

Mr Richard Holden: The Government has provided over £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding for the bus and light rail services in England outside London since March 2020, including through the Local Transport Fund. On 17 May, the Government announced a long-term approach to support and improve bus services with an additional £300 million from July 2023 until April 2025. £160 million of this funding will be provided to Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) through a Bus Service Improvement Plan plus (BSIP+) mechanism focused on improving bus services in local areas, whilst allowing local authorities to make local decisions on protecting services. The remaining £140 million will be provided to operators through a Bus Service Operators Grant plus (BSOG+) mechanism to help protect vital bus routes.The Department has no plans to provide additional funding through the Local Transport Fund which will close on 30 June as previously announced. For English light rail systems outside London, recovery funding ended on 4 October 2022.

Spare Parts: Sales

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the sale of modified exhaust parts.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department is committed to ensuring that vehicles meet relevant safety, environmental and construction standards, which are periodically updated. These have been important in reducing air and noise pollution from vehicles and improving vehicle safety. Vehicle owners have relative freedom to modify their vehicles, subject to ongoing compliance with relevant standards. This includes stringent standards, known as type approval, which apply to aftermarket parts being placed on the market. Compliance is monitored by the Department’s Market Surveillance Unit based in the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Current and past market surveillance activity includes targeted investigation of both illegal vehicle modifications in respect of exhaust replacement and of type approval and markings of aftermarket pollution control devices and silencers; part of the exhaust system. Prosecutions will be taken where there is sufficient evidence to do so.

Ferries: Energy Supply

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects shoreside electric power to be available for passenger ferries operating from Dover; and what recent discussions he has had on this matter with representatives of Port of Dover.

Mr Richard Holden: The Government has committed to publishing an action plan later this year on accelerating grid connections, including grid connections that may support shoreside electrical power at ports such as Dover. The action plan will set out reforms to the connection process and reduce connection timescales.The Government continues to engage across the sector on this matter and has spoken to Dover about decarbonisation and shore power a number of times in recent months. Alongside those conversations, the Government is considering shore power within a broader context of zero emission ports and will be publishing a call for evidence on this later in the year.

MV P&O Pioneer: Crew

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the certification of crewing arrangements on the P&O Pioneer; and when he expects that vessel to enter service on the Dover-Calais route.

Mr Richard Holden: The P&O Pioneer is a Cyprus flagged vessel and the certification of the vessel is the responsibility of that flag state. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) had carried out an inspection on board the vessel on 9 June 2023 and found the vessel to be in compliance with all the international conventions, including the Maritime & Labour convention, which deals with the working and living conditions and the minimum certification and crewing levels on board. The vessel is already in service on the Dover-Calais route.

Bus Services and Fuels: Finance

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department provided to (a) bus operators and (b) local authorities for fuel costs in each of the last three years for which data is available.

Mr Richard Holden: The Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) given to commercial operators is to help them keep fares lower and enable services which may be unprofitable to continue running. The funding that operators receive is calculated based on fuel consumption and allows them to partially offset some of their operational costs, which may include fuel costs. Since 2010, over £200 million has been made available to commercial operators annually. BSOG funding given to local authorities is used to support bus services, including through subsidy for socially necessary bus routes; this is not related to fuel costs. Since 2013, over £42 million has been provided to local authorities annually.

Roads: Safety

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the cost to the public purse of the THINK! road safety campaign in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Cardiff Central.

Mr Richard Holden: For the financial year 2022-23, the total cost of the THINK! road safety campaign was £5,007,000 (excluding VAT). As THINK! activity runs across England and Wales we cannot isolate the cost of the campaign running in Wales.

Highway Code: Publicity

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what public information campaigns his Department undertakes to promote adherence to the highway code.

Mr Richard Holden: The department promotes adherence to The Highway Code via: National paid advertising via the THINK! campaign, which focuses on priority issues including speeding, drink driving and mobile phone use, and primarily targets high-risk young drivers.Via the THINK! campaign, the Department ran national paid activity to raise awareness of changes to The Highway Code, introduced in January 2022, to help improve road safety for people walking, cycling and horse riding. We will be re-running the campaign later this summer with the aim of embedding awareness of and compliance with the changes to support the safety of vulnerable road users.Following changes to The Highway Code in March 2022 to reflect a strengthening of the law around mobile phone use when driving, the department ran a national THINK! campaign to raise awareness of the changes and tackle handheld mobile phone use among young drivers.The THINK! campaign also promotes adherence to The Highway Code via free education resources for schools, including the popular Tales of the Road which provides a guide to The Highway Code for children. The Highway Code is published by the DVSA, which promotes adherence with the code via direct communications to learner drivers and via accredited driving instructors.

Post Office: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on renewing the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contract with the Post Office to provide over the counter services.

Mr Richard Holden: Post Office Ltd currently provides a limited range of DVLA services and an extension to the current contract has been agreed, ensuring that DVLA services will remain available at post offices.

Shipping: Training

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Officer Cadets completed their training on Tonnage Tax qualifying ships in each financial year between 2002-2003 and 2022-23.

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Officer Cadets completed their training on Tonnage Tax qualifying ships in each financial year between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department does not record this data as it is the total number of training months a company completes that determines whether it has met its minimum training obligation (MTO) under the tonnage tax regime.

Parking: Schools

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) Birmingham City Council and (b) other Local Authorities to tackle parking outside schools.

Mr Richard Holden: For many years we have been giving local authorities the powers to enforce parking restrictions civilly and issue penalty charge notices (PCN) for contraventions of these restrictions. Now around 98% of local authorities have these powers, including Birmingham City Council, with more expected to follow. We have also made it legally possible for local authorities with civil enforcement powers to use CCTV cameras to enforce parking on a ‘Keep Clear’ zig-zag area outside a school. Local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers may also apply to the Department for a Designation Order to civilly enforce moving traffic contraventions, including school street restrictions which are signed using existing 'no motor vehicle' or 'pedestrian and cycle zone' signs. The Designation Order granting Birmingham City Council these powers is due to be laid in Parliament on 27 June 2023.

Bicycles: Safety

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage cyclists who cycle at night to (a) use bicycle lights and (b) wear high-visibility clothing.

Jesse Norman: The safety of vulnerable road users is a priority for the Government, and the Department is determined to make the roads safer for everyone. Rule 60 of The Highway Code states that cycles must be fitted with a rear reflector and must have front and rear lights lit at night. Cycling without proper lights is an offence and enforcement is a matter for the police.Rule 59 recommends that cyclists should wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing to help other road users to see them in daylight and poor light, with reflective clothing and/or accessories in the dark. This advice was made clearer in the updated version of The Highway Code that was published in January 2022, and the Department ran a communication campaign in 2022 to highlight some of the key changes.

Three: Vodafone Group

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential security implications of the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three.

Jesse Norman: The Department for Transport has no involvement in considering telecoms mergers.

Avanti West Coast: Cleaning Services

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the pay rate for outsourced rail cleaners across Avanti West Coast services.

Huw Merriman: Although no assessment has been made of the adequacy of the pay rate of cleaners working on Avanti West Coast (AWC) trains by the Department, AWC are required to maintain living wage accreditation, which means ensuring its supply chain is also compliant within three years of receiving the accreditation in 2021.

Railway Stations: Doncaster

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects tactile edging to be introduced to platforms at Doncaster railway station; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Merriman: We remain fully committed to fitting tactile paving at all remaining mainline railway stations in Britain by the end of 2025 at the latest. At Doncaster Network Rail have completed preparatory tarmac work on three platforms and will complete works on those platforms in July. All remaining platforms at Doncaster will have their tactiles installed before the end of this calendar year. In the meantime, safety announcements are being made to advice blind and partially sighted passengers of the current lack of tactiles at platform edges.

Northern Trains: Concessions

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any (a) managers and (b) members of the Board of Northern Trains Ltd are entitled to (i) free rail travel and (ii) rail staff travel facilities.

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any managers at the Transpennine Express are entitled to (a) free rail travel or (b) rail staff travel facilities.

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any (a) directors or (b) members of the Board of DfT OLR Holdings Limited are entitled to (i) free rail travel and (ii) rail staff travel facilities.

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any (a) managers or (b) members of the Board of London North Eastern Railway are entitled to (i) free rail travel or (ii) rail staff travel facilities.

Huw Merriman: The renumeration packages between the organisation and Board members, Directors or managers are a matter for the individual organisations.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Official Hospitality

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 189762, if he will provide a list of (a) all Business Units in the Cabinet Office and (b) the hospitality expenditure for each unit in the last four financial years.

Alex Burghart: a) The following list provides the business units that make up the Cabinet Office at the time of answering the question. This is limited to the core department and does not reflect any arms length bodies or executive agencies. The makeup of the department is subject to change following shifts in ministerial priorities and objectives. This has changed over the course of the four years in scope of this question.Prime Minister's OfficePropriety and Constitution GroupGovernment in ParliamentEconomic and Domestic SecretariatIntelligence and Security CommitteeNational Security SecretariatJoint Intelligence OrganisationCabinet Secretary GroupGovernment Digital ServiceCentral Digital and Data OfficeGovernment Communication ServiceOffice of Government PropertyInfrastructure and Projects AuthorityCivil Service Human ResourcesGovernment Business ServicesGovernment Commercial FunctionGovernment Security Group (Includes UKSV)BordersGeospatial Commission (MOG Pending)Public Sector Fraud AuthorityEquality HubCommercial Models (GCF)COP PresidencyChief Operating Officer's OfficePeople and PlacesStrategy, Finance, and PerformanceCentral BudgetsCO CommercialCO DigitalPublic Bodies and Priority Projects UnitPublic Inquiry Response UnitModernisation and Reform UnitOffice for Veterans' AffairsDelivery GroupCO HMT CommercialInfected Blood InquiryGrenfell InquiryCovid Inquiry b) We do not routinely publish this financial data, as has been the case under successive administrations.

Cabinet Office: Ministers' Private Offices

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff work in his Private Office.

Jeremy Quin: My Private Office currently has six staff to support me in my role as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, attending Cabinet.

Pensioners: Mortgages

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of pensioners had a mortgage in the most recent period for which data is available.

Jeremy Quin: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 21 June is attached. UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 106.5KB)

Biology: Research

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he is taking steps with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) his international counterparts to develop legally-binding international regulations for biological research that poses potential security risks.

Alex Burghart: The Government published the UK Biological Security Strategy on 12 June 2023. Our vision is that, by 2030, the UK is resilient to a spectrum of biological threats, and is a world leader in responsible innovation, shaping international norms and standards to help improve our lives and the health of the planet. Government departments will work together towards this. The Government will also continue to use the UK’s wider international influence to encourage appropriate biosafety and biosecurity regulations, including through the International Tech Strategy. This will aim to drive global technical standards, sector-specific regulations and conventions for the safe and reliable uptake and commercialisation of engineering biology.

Cabinet Office: Internet

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether digital content produced by Cabinet Office communications officers has been reproduced on Ministers' personal (a) social media channels and (b) websites in the last six months.

Alex Burghart: After digital content is published online it may be shared and reproduced by anyone.All material produced by civil servants, ministers, government departments and agencies in the course of their work belongs to the Crown and is Crown copyright. The Cabinet Office digital team would not create bespoke content related to a Minister’s constituency work, their personal life or any party political events. In line with the civil service code, Cabinet Office officials do not work on Ministerial events that are deemed to be political or personal in nature.We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.

Office for Veterans' Affairs

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with what organisations the Minister for Veterans' Affairs has met in the last six months.

Johnny Mercer: Details of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Details of meetings for the period of January - March 2023 will be available shortly.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Freeports: Smuggling

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of trends in the number of illicit and counterfeit goods brought through freeports.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to provide law enforcement agencies with additional resources to help tackle illicit and counterfeit goods at Freeports.

Dehenna Davison: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 141395 on 14 February 2023.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2023 to Question 187652 on UK Shared Prosperity Fund, if his Department will make an estimate of the proportion of the supporting local businesses pillar that will be spent on science, research and development and innovation.

Dehenna Davison: As set out in the answer given on 8 June 2023 to Question UIN 187652, allocations are managed locally, but DLUHC will collect spend and performance data captured through routine reporting.

Housing: Construction

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many new home builds have been (a) started and (b) completed in each constituency in each of the last five years

Rachel Maclean: The information requested is not held centrally.

Owner occupation

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what meetings he has held with representatives of (a) leaseholders and (b) freeholders in the last three months.

Rachel Maclean: Details of ministerial meetings are published on Gov.uk.

Leasehold: Reform

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to introduce reforms leasehold in this Parliament.

Rachel Maclean: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 176567 on 21 April 2023.

Planning Permission

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many planning applications he has called in each month since September 2021; and if he will list the developer for each of those applications.

Lee Rowley: Numbers of called in decisions are published by the Planning Inspectorate as part of official statistics.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister: Correspondence

Sir Chris Bryant: To ask the Prime Minister, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for  Rhondda dated 18 April 2023.

Rishi Sunak: I refer the hon. Member to the letter from the Immigration Minister (my right hon. Friend, the Member for Newark) of 25 April, which serves as a substantive reply to the points the hon. Member raised in his letters of 18 April.Regretfully, due to an administrative error, the reply was not clearer that the letter was being sent in response to both his letters.A copy of that reply is in the Library (Deposited paper DEP2023-0421).

Department for Work and Pensions

Tell Us Once Programme

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the remit of the Tell Us Once service to include the notification of death to (a) banks, (b) utility companies and (c) other organisations outside the public sector.

Mims Davies: There are currently no plans to extend the existing Tell Us Once Service to organisations outside the public sector.

Jobcentres and Youth Services: Expenditure

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average amount spent by his Department per person on claimants aged between 18 and 24 in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search Regime on (a) Youth Hub services and (b) Jobcentre services.

Mims Davies: We do not hold the total spend on Youth Hub Services on a historic basis. We do have Youth Hub Work Coach costs which are covered in a separate PQ190112. We do not hold average costs per claimant. Jobcentre services spending varies per person depending on the level of support they need and how long they are on benefits, and we do not hold average costs per claimant.

Universal Credit: Youth Services

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants aged 18-24 who are in the Intensive Work Search regime accessed support from a Youth Hub in (a) May 2023 and (b) the most recent month for which data is available.

Mims Davies: The DWP Youth Offer provides individually tailored Work Coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search group. This includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches and Youth Hubs across Great Britain. Young people are referred to the most appropriate part of the Youth Offer depending on their individual circumstances.When a claimant enrols on the Youth Employment Programme or is referred to a Youth Hub or Youth Employability Coach they are classified as having started on the Youth Offer. We do not have a separate measure of engagement. The number of claimants referred to a Youth Hub in May 2023 was 1,100 Notes:This data is produced from a manual process and although care is taken when processing and analysing Youth Hub referrals, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system which features manual data. Therefore, Youth Hub figures are likely to underestimate the number of young people who have received Youth Hub support.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.For wider information regarding the number of claimants who have been referred to a Youth Hub, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 190115.

Jobcentres: Training

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department collects on training courses recommended by Work Coaches.

Guy Opperman: Jobcentre Plus work coaches recommend options to claimants that address skills barriers to securing and progressing in work. Those options range from our highly successful sector-based work academy programme (SWAPs) to more intensive interventions such as Department for Education funded Skills Bootcamps, Free Courses for Jobs, and through the apprenticeship programme. DWP Train and Progress also means that UC claimants can apply to, and participate in, DfE Skills Bootcamps and access a significant range of Free Courses for Jobs (Level 3) skills provision, and equivalents funded by the Devolved Administrations, where work-related training could be up to 16 weeks in length. In addition, the Returnerships package announced at Budget 2023 will promote accelerated apprenticeships, Sector-Based Work Academy Programme placements and Skills Bootcamps to the over 50s. This will support better access to re-training and allow workers of all ages to engage with the opportunities of a second career. For the financial years 2021/22 and 2022/23, as of 12th March 2023, there were a total of 179,000 SWAP starts. Work coach recommendations to training courses are recorded on the claimant’s individual work plan, DWP are unable to aggregate that information.

Pension Credit: Mortgages

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the number and proportion of pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit who were mortgage holders in the most recent period for which data are available.

Laura Trott: The information requested is not held on DWP’s administrative data.

Universal Credit: Mental Illness

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of people aged 16 to 24 on Universal Credit with (a) Limited capability for work and (b) Limited capability for work and work-related activity who had a mental health condition as of March 2023.

Guy Opperman: The initial release of Official Statistics for Universal Credit Work Capability Assessments (UC WCA) on 8 June 2023 covers key metrics on the number of people on the UC health journey, as well as WCA decisions and outcomes. As set out in the published release strategy we are taking a phased approach to development and publication of additional statistics accounting for the complexity of source data that is in discovery. Future releases are planned to include new/repeat claims, medical conditions, Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals, and clearance times.

Employment Schemes: Finance

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on its expected spending on nationally contracted employment support programmes after the financial year 2024-25.

Guy Opperman: The Department’s estimated spend for nationally contracted employment after 2024-25 will be determined by the next Spending Review.

Pension Credit: Windrush Generation

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued on backdating pension credit for those who have received a naturalisation certificate through the Windrush Scheme.

Laura Trott: Claims from customers identified as being part of the Windrush scheme are referred to a specialist team for action, who will consider and apply all agreed easements in Policy regarding the usual  3 month time limit for backdating.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Charities: Finance

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Taken on Trust The awareness and effectiveness of charity trustees in England and Wales, published on November 2017, what discussions she has had with the Charity Commission on the potential merits of requiring charities with an annual income in excess of £500,000 to report on board diversity in their annual return.

Stuart Andrew: Having a diverse range of skills, backgrounds and experiences helps ensure the good governance of charities, and the Government is committed to ensuring that opportunities such as trusteeship are available to all.The Charity Commission is engaging with stakeholders to further understand the barriers to trusteeship and taking targeted action to broaden its appeal through its guidance, campaigns and events.The use of the Annual Return to collect diversity data was explored in a recent consultation. In its response, the Commission noted this was not an appropriate mechanism, and is engaging with partners to explore alternative options.

Dormant Assets Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's planned timetable is for concluding its assessment of building financial education and capability as an additional aspect to the financial inclusion cause in the Dormant Assets Scheme.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is takings to include (a) financial education and (b) capability in the allocation of the dormant assets identified by the Dormant Assets Act 2022; and if she will make a statement.

Stuart Andrew: The Dormant Assets Scheme has unlocked £145 million to support financial inclusion initiatives in England to date and earlier this year, the government announced that £76 million of dormant assets funding would be allocated to support those struggling with the cost of living. This includes £45 million for financial inclusion initiatives like the provision of no-interest loans to vulnerable people.Following the consultation on the English portion of dormant assets funding, the Government is continuing to explore how financial education and capability can be supported in the future.The government aims to publish a statement of intent in due course to announce the proportions of funding this government intends to allocate to the four causes, including financial inclusion and capability.

Broadcasting Programmes

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with Ofcom on the definition of a news programme.

Sir John Whittingdale: Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Ofcom on a range of issues. The Secretary of State has not had discussions with Ofcom on the definition of a news programme.

Treasury

Public Expenditure: Training

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Office for National Statistics publication entitled Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2022, if he will provide a breakdown of public spending on functions associated with skills.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2022, if he will publish a breakdown of planned spending on skills by Department.

John Glen: Information based on the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) is not available in the form requested. ‘Skills’ is not a functional category that can be defined using the Classifications of Functions of Government.

Economic Growth

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of forecasted trends in the level of global growth in the next five years.

Gareth Davies: At Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a package to boost economic growth by removing the barriers to work to increase labour supply, reforming the UK’s tax system to incentivise business investment and improve productivity, and continuing to support the UK’s high growth sectors through better regulation. The Office for Budget Responsibility expect that this package will result in the largest policy-induced permanent increase in UK GDP in their medium-term forecast. While international economic conditions remain challenging, the UK has exceeded expectations, leading to the IMF and OECD to revise up their UK growth forecasts, while taking into consideration global macro-economic conditions.

Mortgages: Defaulters

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of mortgage defaults in Stockport constituency in each of the next twelve months.

Andrew Griffith: We recognise this will be a concerning time for homeowners and mortgage holders. Anyone worried about making their mortgage repayments should speak to their lender as soon as possible. Mortgage arrears and repossessions remain below pre-pandemic levels, which were themselves extremely low. The FCA reported 0.86% of total residential mortgage balances in arrears in the first quarter of 2023 which is significantly lower than the 3.32% rate in 2009. However, where mortgage borrowers do fall in financial difficulty, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to offer tailored support. This could include a range of measures depending on individual circumstances. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.

Mental Health Services: VAT Exemptions

Apsana Begum: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he has made an assessment of the potential merits of applying a VAT exemption to services provided by (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists.

Victoria Atkins: The standard rate of VAT applies to most goods and services. Exceptions have always been strictly limited by legal and fiscal considerations. Many services provided directly or supervised by registered health professionals are exempt from VAT. Registered professionals are those who are enrolled or registered on the appropriate statutory register. This includes registered practitioner psychologists, but means the relief does not apply to professionals who do not have statutory registers, such as counsellors and psychotherapists. The UK’s approach of linking exemption to statutory registration is a clear and objective criterion for defining ‘health professionals’ for VAT purposes. While we keep all taxes under review, there are no current plans to make changes to these rules.

Cash Dispensing

Mohammad Yasin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to reform the funding of the free-to-use ATM network..

Mohammad Yasin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the level of interchange fee required to sustain the free-to-use ATM network.

Mohammad Yasin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Financial Services and Markets Bill, whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of the number of protected free ATMs..

Andrew Griffith: The government recognises that while the transition towards digital payments brings many opportunities, cash continues to be used by many people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups. The government is currently legislating to protect access to cash across the UK as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022. The Bill establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities. As amended, the Bill requires the FCA to seek to ensure that there is reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts with relevant providers. ATMs play an important role in the availability of cash withdrawal facilities. Decisions regarding the operation and funding arrangements of an ATM network are taken by the parties involved. LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has made commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator. LINK publishes information on the number of protected ATMs monthly, and ATMs can be suggested for protected status via LINK’s website: https://www.link.co.uk/consumers/request-access-to-cash/suggest-an-atm-for-protected-status/ According to LINK data for March 2023, there were around 39,000 free-to-use ATMs across the UK, including 87 free-to-use ATMs in the constituency of Bedford. Further information is available at: https://www.link.co.uk/initiatives/financial-inclusion-monthly-report/

Economic Recession

Beth Winter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Treasury Economic Advisory Council has had recent discussions on the potential merits of the Bank of England creating a recession.

Beth Winter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make assessment of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of comments made by Karen Ward from the Chancellor’s Economic Advisory Council on 21 June 2023 on the potential effect of a recession on inflation.

Andrew Griffith: The Government recognises the challenges facing households due to the rising cost of living. Halving inflation by the end of this year is one of the Government’s key priorities. High inflation is also bad for the economy, in order to have high sustainable growth, we must first have low inflation. The Chancellor supports the independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England in raising interest rates, and doing whatever is necessary to drive down inflation and bring it back to the 2% target. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the UK's official forecaster, and they will assess the changes in the macroeconomic outlook including the implications of Government policy, at the next fiscal event. The Chancellor set up the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) as a forum to discuss issues in the economy, including the growth outlook and market conditions. Recent meetings have discussed short-term support to help the economy through 2023, and longer-term measures to grow the UK economy, as well how to increase labour market participation. A log of substantive contact was published in April here, which includes a brief summary of discussions for each meeting.

Community Interest Companies: VAT

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2023 to Question 187024 on Dementia: Health Services, if his Department will consider the potential merits of including community interest companies that provide social care but are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission, due to not providing personal care, in the VAT exemptions for welfare services.

Victoria Atkins: The standard rate of VAT applies to most goods and services. Exceptions have always been strictly limited by legal and fiscal considerations. Where social care is provided by a state-regulated body, including community interest companies, then the VAT exemption for welfare services applies. The regulation requirement ensures that VAT relief is limited to providers certified as offering safe and high-quality welfare services. This is a long-standing requirement, and there are no plans to make changes to these rules.

Treasury: Data Protection

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure of 14 June 2023 at Topical Questions, T7, Official Report, column 286, what plans his Department has to (a) utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill and (b) use smart data in new sectors.

Andrew Griffith: HM Treasury are working with the Department for Business and Trade on the new long-term regulatory framework for Open Banking, which intends to use the Smart Data Clauses in the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. HM Treasury is also working closely with the relevant regulators through the Joint Regulatory Oversight Committee to develop the design of the future Open Banking entity. The Committee published its recommendations for the next phase of Open Banking in April 2023, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recommendations-for-the-next-phase-of-open-banking-in-the-uk. There is exciting potential to explore Smart Data in further sectors, beyond Open Banking. Government, regulators and industry experts are working together via the Smart Data Council to ensure that the UK continues to be at the forefront of developments in this space. Before committing to utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No2) Bill in any given sector, there is work to be done to understand how Smart Data can empower consumers and turbo charge competition.

Financial Services: Meriden

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support the financial services sector in Meriden constituency.

Andrew Griffith: The government’s vision for financial services is for a sector that is open, sustainable, technologically advanced, globally competitive, and which acts in the interests of communities and citizens across all four nations of the UK. The Edinburgh Reforms will drive growth and competitiveness while retaining our commitment to high international standards. This supports delivery of the Chancellor’s wider priority of driving economic growth and prosperity through his 4 E’s: Enterprise, Education, Employment, and Everywhere. The government recognises that financial services is an important employer across the whole of UK, with 2.5 million people employed in financial and related professional services across the UK, two thirds of whom are employed outside of London. This includes 145,000 people in the West Midlands alone. The Government’s approach to financial services reforms will ensure that the sector benefits from dynamic and proportionate regulation, and that consumers and citizens from across all four nations of the UK benefit from high quality services, appropriate consumer protection, and a sector that embraces the latest technology.

PAYE and VAT: Registration

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is taking steps to reduce the time taken for applications for (a) PAYE reference and (b) VAT numbers to be processed.

Victoria Atkins: VAT Registration applications are now being worked within the 40 working day service level. For PAYE, Employer Registration applications can be submitted digitally using our Online Tax Registration Service https://www.gov.uk/register-employer or via the Employers Helpline on 0300 200 321. We are focussed on reducing the time taken for businesses to receive the PAYE reference number following application by investing in digital solutions and utilising additional resources to drive down the number of cases on hand.

PAYE and VAT: Registration

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of time was for companies to receive (a) PAYE reference and (b) VAT numbers after submitting an application in (i) May 2022, (ii) November 2022 and (iii) May 2023.

Victoria Atkins: HMRC publishes monthly and quarterly performance data on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates

PAYE: Registration

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has a target for the maximum timescale between an application being submitted for PAYE registration and it being granted.

Victoria Atkins: The service level agreement for receipt of a PAYE reference number following an application is 15 working days.

Investment

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that sustainable investment labels will apply to (a) institutional and (b) retailfunds.

Andrew Griffith: The independent Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are responsible for regulatory rules on sustainable investment levels. The FCA published a consultation paper on 25 October 2022 on Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and Investment Labels. The specific content of these rules is a matter for the FCA. This consultation closed on 25 January this year and the FCA published a statement in March stating that it is considering feedback to the consultation and intends to publish the final rules in Q3 23.

Banks: Taxation

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an recent assessment of the adequacy of rate of taxation applicable to the banking sector.

Andrew Griffith: The Government recognises the need for the tax system to maintain the balance between revenue and competitiveness for the UK banking sector. The banking sector faces two additional taxes in the form of the bank levy and the bank corporation tax surcharge, in addition to restrictions that mean banks cannot claim tax relief for historic losses incurred during the financial crisis, and denying banks corporation tax relief for PPI compensation payments. Taken together these measures are forecast to have raised more than £57 billion from the banking sector by 2028 since their introduction.

Pensions: British National (Overseas)

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had recent discussions with HSBC on access to pension savings for people on British National (Overseas) visas.

Andrew Griffith: We are aware of the difficulties British National (Overseas) (BN(O))s are experiencing in seeking early withdrawal of their pension held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The root of the problem is the Chinese Government's decision not to recognise the BN(O) passport as a valid identity document in Hong Kong. The UK firmly opposes the discrimination of BN(O)s in this way. We have urged the Hong Kong authorities to facilitate the early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently.

Interest Rates

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of relative changes in banks rates on (a) mortgages and loans and (b) savings.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had any recent discussions with banks on (a) the financial support provided to banks in 2008 and (b) rates for (i) savings and (ii) loans being offered by banks, in the context of rises in the cost of living.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has held recent discussions with the banking sector on corporate and social responsibilities.

Andrew Griffith: The Government does not set mortgage or interest rates. The Bank Rate - which is one factor that lenders use to set mortgage and retail interest rates - is set by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England, which is independent of Government. Commercial Banks and Building Societies also make other commercial judgements that influence the degree of pass‐through from changes in Bank Rate into mortgage and retail interest rates. The Government does not seek to intervene in these commercial decisions. However, we recognise this will be a concerning time for mortgage holders, particularly those who are due to come to the end of their existing deal in the immediate future. The Prime Minister has been clear, the best and most important way that we can keep costs and interest rates down for people is to halve inflation, and then return it to the 2% target. The Chancellor and I have regular meetings with banks on a range of topics, including to discuss how banks are supporting people with the rising cost of living. On Friday 23 June the Chancellor met with mortgage lenders, UK Finance and the FCA to discuss a new package of support for those who encounter problems keeping up with their mortgage payments. These commitments include an agreement permitting customers to switch to an interest only mortgage, or extend their mortgage term, for 6 months, after which they can switch back without a new affordability check or it affecting their credit score. Lenders also agreed borrowers won’t have their home repossessed within 12 months from a first missed payment without their consent or unless in exceptional circumstances. If you are concerned about making your mortgage repayment, you must speak to your lender as soon as possible. Contacting them will not affect your credit score. The Government has also already taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.  The retail savings market currently offers a range of competitive options to savers, who can now access the highest rates in recent years on a variety of instant access and fixed-term products. I would encourage savers to explore the full range of products available in the market to find the best rates.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Sarah Owen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the guidance on exceptional circumstances for late applications to Self Employment Income Support Scheme grants was last reviewed.

Sarah Owen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if HMRC will publish the criteria for exceptional circumstances of late applications for Self Employment Income Support Scheme grants.

Victoria Atkins: The guidance on exceptional circumstances for late applications to Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants was last reviewed in February 2022. This coincided with the final date for making a late claim of 28 February 2022; this date was published in advance on GOV.UK. HMRC has no plans to publish the criteria for exceptional circumstances of late applications for SEISS grants. The SEISS ended on 30 September 2021. HMRC had limited discretion which was applied in exceptional circumstances. The deadline for making a request to consider a late claim to a SEISS grant was 28 February 2022.

Technology: Meriden

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support the technology sector in Meriden constituency.

Gareth Davies: The tech sector is important for growth across the UK, including the Meriden constituency. West Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) has been invited to develop an Investment Zone proposal, to catalyse a high potential knowledge intensive growth cluster in one of our priority sectors, including Digital and Technology. The government has begun discussions with West Midlands, through the MCA, with a view to agreeing a co-developed Investment Zone proposal by the end of the year. We would recommend engagement with West Midlands MCA directly to discuss how to ensure the benefits of the Investment Zone are best felt by residents across the region, including in Meriden.

Energy: Prices

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support households in Meriden constituency with their energy bills.

Gareth Davies: The government took action at Spring Budget 2023 to support struggling families in all constituencies, including by maintaining the Energy Price Guarantee support rate at £2500 per year until July 2023. This measure, alongside the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme, brings total government support for energy bills to £1500 for the typical household since October 2022. The government is also removing the premium paid by 4 million households using prepayment meters (PPMs), bringing their costs into line with those paid by comparable households on Direct Debits (DD). These measures are in addition to the uprating of benefits and Cost of Living Payments in 2023-24, which will help more than 8 million UK households on eligible means tested benefits, 8 million pensioner households and 6 million people across the UK on eligible disability benefits. Taken together, support to households to help with higher bills and cost of living is worth £94 billion, or £3,300 per household on average across 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Small Businesses: Energy

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in Meriden constituency with energy prices.

Gareth Davies: The Government remains committed to supporting the whole business sector including small and medium sized businesses. The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) provides all eligible businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills for 12 months from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024. It also provides businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of energy use and trade intensity with a higher level of support. This follows the unprecedented package of support for non-domestic users last winter provided through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. The Government has been clear that such levels of support, unprecedented in its nature and huge scale, were time-limited and intended as a bridge to allow businesses to adapt.

Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation: Licensing

David Mundell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation prioritises urgent licence applications from start-up businesses that are unable to secure further funding without an approved application.

Gareth Davies: As set out in its published guidance, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation prioritises licence applications at times of high demand, and, in particular, where there are issues of personal basic needs and/or wider humanitarian issues at stake which are of material impact or urgency, or which are deemed to be of particular strategic, economic or administrative importance.